1 //Mr Riemensperger, You say that what Germany is lacking is not ideas but solution-builders. What do you mean by that?
If Germany wants to safeguard its exporting strength it must orient itself towards mega trends such as, for example, the fast-growing threshold countries with large consumer groups. And this is where the solution-builder comes in. Bosch, for example, was very quick to set up a research centre in India and developed a fuel injection system for the small Indian Nano car. That system is based on known technology, but adapted to the Indian market. We do not need to constantly look for new ideas, instead we should give more thought to how already existing inventions can be made into appropriate solutions for new markets.
2 // When it comes to innovations, where does Germany stand by international comparison?
Germany is Premier League when it comes to inventions, and has a very good tradition in research and development. In our strong industries, like mechanical engineering and plant construction or the automobile industry, you can find many innovative concepts. What is changing however are the framework conditions. Today, countries like China register as many or more patents as Germany. New competitors are emerging in the research and development of concepts for products which are ready for the market. We in Germany have to consider what kind of innovation culture might be successful for a company in the face of this new competition.
3 //What do you advise companies to do?
They must develop an awareness of the fact that their product world has to develop continually to tap new markets. This is how a basis for change has to be laid. What is more, they must orient themselves towards a mega trend. A good example is Schott Ceran, winner of this year’s German Innovation Prize. The company developed a modern production process for a glass-ceramic cooking surface. The product can be sustainably manufactured, has new design elements and was accompanied by an international marketing campaign. Schott thus integrated the sustainability feature into its core business. In my view, these changes represent innovation at its best and together make all the difference in the face of competition. And you can find this frequently in Germany today.
4 //Where are the opportunities for Germany as a business location?
We have to further develop our top class products together with sales and distribution solutions. Siemens, for example, has developed a new gas turbine which will probably conquer the global market. It is conceivable that Siemens will not only sell the gas turbine, but also the necessary power plant, and will not just build the power plant, but also operate it.
Personal data
Frank Riemensperger has been working for the international consulting company Accenture since 1989. Since November 2009, the informatics expert has been director of Accenture’s Geographic Unit for Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and German managing partner of the company.
Riemensperger is one of Accenture’s innovation experts. The company specializes in management consultancy and sees itself as a technology and outsourcing service for companies and organizations in difference branches and in more than 120 countries. Accenture advises clients from the electronics industry, finance, the automobile and the health sectors. The company helps to tap new markets and support companies in building up their business models and strategies. Accenture employs about 190,000 people in 52 countries. The global turnover was last stated as being almost 22 billion dollars.
www.accenture.com
