Of the three main sections in Central Finland Chamber of Commerce's effectiveness plan for 2010 one is headed: "Making learning part of enterprises' competitiveness and business". This is a new and vitally important statement of policy, since aiming for this goal will be the long-term success factor for entrepreneurial activity in Jyväskylä and the whole of Central Finland.
It is vital to talk of learning and not, for instance, of expertise. Another key issue is the fact that the role of learning is not only support for a company's business, but is an integral part of what goes on and a value in itself.
The best prerequisites for success in today's rapidly changing operating environment are in fact in the possession of those enterprises which are at the same time learning organisations. In these learning is the area of responsibility of the firm's management and work teams, core skills have been specified, staff development discussions have become an established way of operating, and systems of reward take learning into account.
In enterprises like these work and learning find combination: they are two aspects of the same matter. The teaching material is provided by the operating environment and change. In such enterprises it is justified to speak of a learning personnel which has the ability to switch if necessary to a new and unknown area. It is frequently not even a question of bringing new knowledge or expertise to the enterprise, but of recognising the expertise that already exists in the company and getting staff to use it more widely.
Of course an enterprise can acquire new expertise by recruiting, but from the perspective of the firm's success the decisive issue is how to ensure acquired expertise is maintained and built on and how such expertise is brought into more extensive use within the business. Immediately a new employee enters the firm's service, close scrutiny must be given to the in-house learning processes via which all this should be brought about.
It also pays to invest in learning. According to various studies investments in machinery and equipment can boost productivity two to three-fold. By investing in education and training productivity can be increased three to five-fold. Through social innovations, in other words by improving methods and ways of operating, productivity can be raised by as much as ten-fold. In addition the absolute prerequisite for full-scale exploitation of investments is a commitment to people's learning.
The Chamber of Commerce's effectiveness plan enjoys the broad support of the region's business community. This demonstrates that here in Central Finland we are internalizing the important conception that expertise can be bought - but not learning.
Hannu Salminen
CEO, Jyväskylä Educational Consortium
Chair, Education and Training Committee, Central Finland Chamber of Commerce