On Tuesday, May 17, 2005 President Chen Shui-bian received reports from cadres and exemplary members of the Business Management Consultants Association of the Republic of China on technology services management, small- and medium-sized enterprise internationalization and global branding strategies.
The president said that development of a nation's industries must keep up with the times, continually making innovations if it is to gain a vantage position in the world in the keen competition. Transformation and rising up to a higher level has its growing pains, but that each enterprise's growth has a definite scope and must look to the global market. Those product lines that no longer have competitive strength will gradually fall to the wayside or be blown away like chafe in the wind. This is the inevitable consequence of economic development that we must bravely face. Don't let these growing pains become symptoms of an impending illness, he advised.
The president then emphasized that Taiwan's economy is rich with creative ideas, vitality and competitiveness. Saying that we should not look down upon ourselves, he continued by saying that when the rest of the world has already affirmed and praised Taiwan, so why not afford ourselves a little applause and encouragement? After all, he said, all we need to do is have self-confidence and trust in Taiwan and there's nothing we can't overcome.
The content of his speech is as follows:
"I am very pleased to have the opportunity to meet with you, members of the business management consultant community, this morning. It is common knowledge that the business consultants are, to put it simply, both the 'teachers' and the 'physicians' of business enterprises. With their fingers on the pulse of daily operations and overall management, they are able to uncover all problematic ailments and provide solutions. It's safe to say that they carry the golden ideas and mettle needed for development. Everyone knows that small- and medium-sized enterprises have been a fountainhead for the development of the Taiwan economy, and, more so, are the nexus of Taiwan's economic flexibility and tenacity. But their relatively smaller size has made operations and management a bit sketchy at times, and they had to rely on past experiences to shore up deficiencies in these two areas. The Business Management Consultants Association of the Republic of China has long worked to assist and tutor small- and medium-sized businesses of Taiwan and unerringly provided all sorts of fresh ideas that have allowed them to move ahead quickly and to stand tall in world markets, winning uncompromising respect and trust by salesmen and manufacturers alike.
This Association has been in operation since 1987, bringing together the best consultants of the nation, consolidating the nation's related business resources, and have been entrusted by the Council of Aboriginal Affairs, Council for Economic Planning and Development, Council for Labor Affairs, and the Small and Medium Enterprise Administration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs to execute various assistance plans, including management, quality upgrade, finance management, consultant personnel training, and local special programs, to help promote the reform of the economy and upgrade of the industries. Such efforts have won the association citations and approval from the Ministry of Interior.
And this is not all. This Association has established a cooperative relationship with the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes, proactively planning to create international standards in management consultancy accreditation. In the past few days, BMCA has become an official member of ICMCI, allowing Taiwan's first-class business management consultants to have an opportunity to internationalize. This has given Taiwanese consultants a gateway to international markets and put Taiwan in step with the rest of the world. This has given Taiwan an opportunity to share its successes in small- and medium-sized businesses with the rest of the world. For this I'd like to congratulate this Association for having received affirmation and recognition among the international community of business consultants, but would also like to express my heart-felt thanks and highest praise for all of the hard work and contributions you have made over the years.
Fairly recently, Switzerland's International Institute for Management Development, released their highly-accredited "World Competitive Yearbook 2005," rating Taiwan number 11 of 60 major economies, an improvement since receiving 12th place last year and the highest rating our nation has achieved in many years. Last year, Taiwan jumped from 17th place to 12th. It's safe to say that Taiwan is in the top ten of best-improved nations. At the time, I indicated that we must use all our effort and we can make it into the top ten.
Taiwan was on the cover of the latest issue of Buisnessweek Magazine, under the headline "Why Taiwan Matters," with a sub-headline reading "the world economy could not operate without Taiwan." In the article, the author places the importance of the impact of Taiwan's information industries having on the world economy on the level of the oil resources of the Middle East. In assessing Taiwan's competitiveness, the author sourced comments made by a high-level Intel manager, who used the metaphor of a runner facing challenges, but keeping in the forefront. All the runner needs to do is keep his target in mind and strive forward and no one else will catch up with him. Taiwan can win the race if she gives her all.
A nation's industrial development is just like an enterprise's business or the research and development process. It has a definite lifespan and must accord with the timing, and go through a sifting process before it can compete with the entire globe and maintain competitive advantage. In transformation and upgrading, there will be growing pains. An enterprise develops up to a point to where it must break out into the international market or it will loose its competitive production line. It eventually must face relocation or be eliminated from the competitive field. This is a rule of economics. We can not go back. We must bravely face the future and under no circumstances allow "growing pains" to be viewed as some degenerative disease. Someone once said, "attitude determines altitude." Taiwan's economy is rife with creativity, vitality and competitiveness. Though we can not satisfy ourselves with this alone. We mustn't underestimate our ability especially at a time when the world has shown approval for Taiwan and praised Taiwan. All we need is self-confidence and trust in Taiwan and there is nothing we can not overcome. Why not give ourselves some applause and encouragement?
Finally, I would like to thank these exemplary consultants and forward-looking friends for their long-term sacrifices and I look forward to everyone's hard work in the road ahead, bringing Taiwan to the next level and zealously sharing Taiwan's successes with the rest of the world, to create a wonderful future as we strive together. I wish you all the best in health and may all your ventures go smoothly.