New Business Models For New Times

Press release
Sopot, 2 October 2015
New Business Models For New Times
Global innovative businesses no longer focus on developing their own innovative solutions but are
buying projects in the early stage of development. This is a flashing warning sign for Poland. 'To
become an intellectual factory and not an intellectual colony, Poland must make sure that solutions
originating here are well-branded', said Professor Piotr Moncarz of Stanford University during a
debate held during the European Forum for New Ideas.
New business models ought to account for a number of features that have gained in importance in
recent years. Firstly, there is the need for cooperation. The Internet has made global
communication possible and, making it possible to develop businesses much faster than a decade
ago. Every client has the resources from all over the world literally at his or her fingertips. However,
this calls for a fair approach to doing business.
As argued by Sarah Drinkwater, Head of Google Campus (UK), in the age of social media, nothing
will go unnoticed. As for the costs of disclosure, these are much higher, since it is the consumers
who co-create the market and they could punish a company more severely than the state would.
'Today, a PR firm has very little impact on how informed clients are about a company, since
everyone has a smart phone and keeps receiving information from different sources all the time',
said Professor Alexander Manu the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto
The next key component of development is innovation. Without it, businesses cannot expand.
There is room for the state to take on one of the roles in this process: it should set the directions
for development and minimise the risk of investors by participating in innovative ventures.
'The search for innovations ought to focus on finding solutions to specific problems', said Adam
Czyżewski, Chief Economist at PKN ORLEN. 'Otherwise it will be impossible to predict which projects
are steered towards development.' He added: 'Such an approach is also much more acceptable to
investors.'
The development of innovative solutions must go hand in hand with state-of-the-art technology,
science and scientists. According to Jeffrey Sachs, Director of The Earth Institute, higher education
institutions could carry on projects with long-term objectives and thus support companies which
operate within a considerably smaller time sale. After all, there can be no innovations without longterm goals.
Without courage and audacity, a business is bound to fail. These are the sources of a business
vision and motivation, which is closely linked to the need for constant change. 'It can no longer be
assumed that in five years' time, the business will look the same as it does today', concluded
Alexander Manu.
According to Piotr Moncarz, the role of managers is changing too. Today's businesses are more in
need of coaches who know how to manage teams than leaders as we know them.
The event was moderated by Marek Tejchman, Deputy Editor-in-chief of Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
PKN Orlen was the partner of the plenary session.
***
THE EUROPEAN FORUM FOR NEW IDEAS is an international business congress attended by prominent representatives
of politics, culture, science, and media. It has been organised since 2011 by the Polish Confederation Lewiatan in
cooperation with BUSINESSEUROPE, the city of Sopot, and Polish and foreign companies and organizations. The Forum is
aimed at creating ideas for a strong Europe and a competitive economy, a Europe open to trends of social growth and
technology. This year's EFNI will be held on 30 September – 2 October 2015 in Sopot, and its theme is: Europe and the
World in the Face of Growing Inequality, Radicalism, and Geopolitical Threats
More information: www.efni.pl
Honorary patronage
Institutional partners
Strategic partners
Opening Gala partner
Main partners
Supporting partners
Knowledge partners
Logistics partner
Official carrier
Executive Producer
President of the Republic of Poland, European Parliament
Polish Industrial Development Agency S.A., European Commission, National Centre
for Research and Development
MetLife, PKN ORLEN, PZU, Totalizator Sportowy, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, Grupa
Onet.pl, TVP SA
Bank Pekao S.A.
Biznes.pl, BMW, Citi Handlowy, Discovery NETWORKS CEEMEA, Forbes, France 24,
Intel, Microsoft, Newsweek, Orange Polska, Parkiet, PKP S.A., Silvermedia
AMS, Bloomberg Businessweek Polska, Gazeta Wyborcza, Havas Worldwide,
Liberté!, McCANN Worldgroup, PAP Polish Press Agency, PGNiG SA, Polish
Association of Employers in Mining Industry, Pomeranian Special Economic Zone,
Puls Biznesu, Starcom MediaVest Group, Polish Association of Employers in
Transport and Logistics, Warsaw Business Journal Observer, Association of Private
Employers in Energy Industry, Digital Technology Employers Lewiatan
Ashoka, Aspen Institute Prague, Centre for International Relations, demosEUROPA
– Centre for European Strategy, ECFR, Institute of Public Affairs, POLITYKA
INSIGHT, Res Publica Nowa, THINKTANK, Global Compact in Poland – an Initiative
of the UN Secretary General, World Academy of Art and Science
Lech Wałęsa Airport in Gdańsk
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Zbigniew Maciąg, [email protected], phone number: +48 604 589 080