Page 96 - Technology and Innovation Journal - 19-1

434 SMITH

energy that is the backbone of the transportation type of an organization unable to respond in a timely
industry. In fact, it is energy that is the driving force fashion. It is thus essential that individuals and the
for everything that we do, from the food we eat to companies that employ them work together to take
the way we move and communicate and essentially full advantage of this opportunity.
to the way we live and survive.
CONCLUSION
LEADERSHIP CREATION PROCESS The world has a lot to learn about how to minimize
Noting that the implementation of any energy the cost of energy acquisition, including the costs to
strategy is a complex effort and that plans are only the users and the environmental impacts. We also
as good as the leadership and commitment of the have even more to learn about how to move people
participants, there is normally an improved correla- and things. These areas are poised for evolutionary
tion between the efforts of a cohesive and motivated innovation and hopefully some much-needed game
team over the summary efforts of a group of discrete changers. As in the past, we will learn to use and
individuals or, in this case, companies and govern- appreciate all that happens at the hands of the inno-
ing officials. Clearly, the acquisition and use of all vators and the leadership that drives them and to
forms of energy is here to stay, and the market will then expect to see even more.
develop based on the normal economic pressures For example, the natural gas liquids created as a
and influences that affect all new opportunities. All by-product of refining natural gas represent a resource
of this could be adversely affected by the continually to reestablish our lagging chemical industry. More-
changing world energy landscape, especially with over, as the use of natural gas proliferates, we can
Asia vying for increasingly larger percentages of the expect to see an increase in the development of addi-
available crude oil and its by-products and the con- tional advanced technologies, which will add again
tinuing unrest in many of the oil-producing regions to the growth of the region. All of this will reenergize
of the world. the work force and provide future generations with a
To be most effective and to take the best advantage positive and predictive vision for the future, encour-
of the current opportunities will require concerted aging them to prepare themselves through education
efforts by individuals and organizations across all and training based on need and not hope or rhetoric.
disciplines and market sectors in this region. Once It will also create the need for and spur the formation
a vision and strategic plan is recognized and imple- and funding of research-rich development centers
mented, it will be those different sectors that will matched to innovative business environments, pro-
create the policy elements and the needed strategy viding locations for our investors and entrepreneurs
to ensure the maximum value to the region and thus to call home.
the country. The need for advanced energy and transportation
Finally, noting that economic pressures will, solutions is clear. It is for us to make the conscious
as often as not, provide the needed motivation to decision to invest in our future by organizing and
advance an opportunity, the benefits that can be marshalling our historically proven resources to take
derived from cross-discipline and market sector full advantage of it. Taking the path of being proac-
cooperation are often surprisingly misunderstood. tive and visionary, in contrast to reacting only when
Most large operations and organizations have culti- needed, will encourage and stimulate our intellectual
vated a culture based on market success and identity, and financial resources. It is through strong vision-
and, given the nature of competition, it is easy to ary leadership that innovation has a chance, and it
become vertically integrated and isolated. While is innovation that challenges our youth to continue
this may prove to be highly effective in the current to push the envelope into a future that has yet to be
market environment, a dramatic change or a unique defined.
opportunity like the current one might leave this