There is no question about it - the economy in Liechtenstein and the Rhine Valley is doing extremely well. Many companies, especially owner-managed ones, are justifiably proud of their corporate culture. And this is what counts if a local company wants to make itself fit today for the competition of tomorrow.

At the beginning of October Digital Tuesday Evening in Vaduz put it to the test: In a quick analysis, around 20 entrepreneurs from Liechtenstein and the Rhine Valley gave their vote on the company culture. What came out of it? For many SMEs in the region, the Search for the meaning at the top. They think outside the box and want to make a difference in the world. At the same time, the companies are competitive, search pragmatically for the best solutionThey want to be better than others - as is the case with banks and IT companies, for example. At the same time, it becomes apparent that local entrepreneurs admit to themselves that they are not acting quickly and boldly in the current times and that they are not Reluctant to settle conflicts or tensions openly.

Is that now a disadvantage in digitization? In times when companies like Amazon claim to be "relentless," it may seem that way at first glance. But if you look behind the scenes and take advantage of the will to perform and succeed in the region in combination with the desire to work together on a great cause, a unique opportunity quickly emerges: Why not expand collaboration?

Cooperation shows in personal interactions with employees and the management team as well as with business partners and also in virtual meetings. In the past, it was said that each individual contributed to a common result. The achievements added up. In today's complexity, however, collaboration itself becomes the goal: employees and customers want to act together because the world has become too confusing and there are too many challenges that need the other to solve them. Cooperation with each other becomes cooperation for each other. Together, more can be achieved in many areas.

Why not get started right away? "Start before you are ready," they say in Silicon Valley. And with a few simple steps, every entrepreneur can get started right away: Sometimes it is already enough to openly address a problem and ask others for help, for example via social media. Tested tools like "Working out Loud" give a framework on how to support each other and build a relevant network. And why not just Start within your own company and open up your own management team to communicate with employees? Then you're sure to quickly find colleagues who go outside themselves as ambassadors for the company.

Especially at a time when the order books in Liechtenstein and the Rhine Valley are well filled, it is important to focus on the future in order to ensure sustainable success. Working together for each other is part of this!

The blog post also appeared on 27.10.2018 in Economy Regional