US Productivity Q1 this year up by 2.6% annual rate, up from 2.1% last quarter. It seems that the US is
coming out of a dip and that they are going back to the incredible 4% and more rates they achieved over the past 3 years.
The eBusiness statements come back: "We've moved into an era where productivity is permanently
at a higher level" (quote from Bloomberg). This should be compared to 1.6% growth rate fro Europe.
At the same time IDC reports that 2005 European spending on IT is expected to end at 4%, substantially lower
than US (5%) and the world on average (6%).
The relationship between IT spending and productivity growth is contested, but one starts to wonder if we
shouldn't take it for granted and act accordingly. Reflecting on the Internet and eBusiness hype period, it was all overdone,
and didn't deliver at that time. But all the elements come back with a vengeance.
It is probably coincidence but it strikes me today that so many companies seems too much in a hurry to charge
ahead instead of spending a little bit of time upfront to think through what they are going to do. In general, people what
to act, not to think.
But if you are have any experience, you know what difficulties lay ahead and it is always more expensive
to repair things at a later stage. With a background as a professional planner, it is a difficult market to operate.
Planning does not have to lead to delays in delivery, I recently saw this old movie of the house that was
built in 4 hours (after extensive planning). Great to see and good fun.
May be it is better to join the "fixers" and leave thinking ahead on the shelf. Lawyers also do better in
problems that have arisen, then in advising upfron how to prevent them from happening.
