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ePaper created 2015-05-06, 08:18:29 | version 1.38.0
13HERAEUS | ANNUAL REPORT 2014 | ESSAY This presents a great challenge to our society in all areas. And particularly to the German industry if we still want to play a leading role in international markets in the decades to come. “Business as usual” is currently the worst advice that one can give. Old certainties have to be questioned and new solution strategies have to be developed. Admin- istering our high status quo is by no means enough. However, change does not come easy to us: already at school, we are taught the content of a curriculum which was partly developed decades ago. But this is where the necessary transfer of knowledge begins, which will become even more important especially against the background of demographic change. The pupils of today are the special- ists of tomorrow. In addition to general knowledge, they have to be equipped early-on with strategies for independ- ent, solution-oriented and flexible actions. Overcoming the hurdle of zero defect tolerance Universities also have to adapt to the new circumstances: an engineer educated in Germany is still an important pillar of the German industry’s success. A basis for this success up to now was the dictum of zero-error tolerance: a product is only saleable when all “teething troubles” have been eliminated and its value is high to perfect. “Made in Germany” is associated with this idea worldwide. Unfortunately, this approach requires a lot of time. Too much time. A glance at Asia shows that the local univer- sities have caught up and educate excellent engineers in large numbers. Their culture is not marked by the zero- error tolerance but rather by an iterative approach. This gives them the possibility to develop their products at a higher speed in several innovation cycles on the markets. An example: the German automobile industry is still the worldwide innovation standard. We have developed this status since 1896, i.e. in about 130 years. The young Korean automobile industry has succeeded in catching up to European safety standards in just 30 years and the Chinese will follow. Why is this? Young Chinese engineers are being given the necessary technical know-how to close large gaps. On the other hand, they are not “burdened” by the zero-error tolerance tradition. In their opinion, develop- ment cycles are there to recognize weak points and to eliminate them. But the product will be estimated as ready for the market much earlier and further developed at the same time. With this mental freedom, which does not spend time on looking for mistakes in the existing product but is oriented towards implementing a greater vision, developments take on a tempo which we often only follow while shaking our heads. Uncertainty as an opportunity for change At this speed, whole innovation cycles often have to be skipped, making room for new things. Elon Musk from Tesla is a ‘lateral entrant’ in the field of automobile technology. However, his vision of replacing the combus- tion motor has made it possible in just twelve years since founding the company, to develop vehicles which are ready for serial production and are partly technically superior to the big players in the industry. Musk has achieved this thanks to three key characteristics: the will to make changes even under the most adverse circumstances. The ability to not accept that which is available as a given, but to develop and follow up entirely new solution paths with “out of the box” thinking. And, last but not least, the courage to formulate a vision and to follow it through to the end. Also, the organisational basis is kept flat and functional according to the respective competences. Thus, breaking down hierarchical hurdles is encouraged, in order to implement ideas quickly. It is not certain whether Tesla will ever be able to compete with the big players on the mass market. However, the leap in innovation to make the first car with an electro-motor, which can be taken seriously because it is suited for everyday use, ready for the market is keeping the development departments of the large manufacturers on their toes. We can and have to learn from this openness towards new things and the willingness to allow mistakes as part of a process and to recognize uncertainty as an opportunity for changes. Today, we possess a unique technological potential, which alone will not be sufficient in the future. Relevant developments will take place where there is room for new ideas and quick adjustments. If we manage to create the right framework, we will not only succeed in developing our technological expertise further but with this expertise, we will also be able to face the global competi- tion the day after tomorrow. ■