4. The core problem of our society spins around the sustainable creation of wealth and the adequate distribution of it “Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared”– The Buddha How to create wealth? How to adequate distribute it? The problem of Differentiation (“deliberately choosing a different set of activities to deliver a unique mix of value“ ) at the Corporate-Strategic level and that of human beings suffering tremendously over the lack of resources for basic needs of existence, at the Social level, are flips of the same coin – The Creation and Distribution of Wealth * Corporate-Strategic Dimension Social Dimension How can a corporation provide a sustainable unique value proposition? How can more resources be transferred in an efficient manner to those who lack water, food, healthcare and education in under-developed countries? Michael Porter, What is strategy?, Harvard Business Review, p. 64, November – December 1996 * 3
6. Corporations find ever more challenging the strategic objective of relevant distinct positioning in the market Level of Differentiation Experiences Companies are forced to compete on price because, in the mind of the purchasing customer, their products and services are perceived as being similar, if not identical – this trend, known as Commoditization, is ever more present Services Commoditization Products Commodities Level of perceived value Customers are moving from the search for products and services towards the search for experiences that can enrich their lives. The desire fulfillment mediator represented by products and services is replaced by the genuine quest for gratification. So, in order to survive and prosper, companies must adapt 5
31. BanksTime * Graeme Deans, Fritz Kroeger, Stefan Zeisel, Winning the Mergers Endgame: A Playbook from Profiting from Industry Consolidation, McGraw-Hill, 2002 6
32. The World is under the influence of new and powerful trends Moving towards a Multi-Polar World The mentality of every individual is suffering important changes as it is driven forward by the desire for cooperation, generosity and sustainability, in a world that is more and more interconnected The birth of new emerging powers and the trend of moving towards a Multi-Polar World, offers an unstable but full of opportunities environment Connectivity Generosity Generation The World becomes flatter and flatter and the reactions of individuals have a higher and higher level of consecutiveness More and more individuals are finding fundamentally rewarding the process of sharing their material wealth with those around them New Consumer Mentality Cooperative Mind Sustainability Vision People are realizing that is more fruitful to share the work, the success, as well as the potential failure, with other human beings We are starting to remember the vision of the Native-Americans that were always thinking of the 7th future generation. The human specie is not running a 100m race, but a marathon Aging Population * Thomas Friedman, The World is Flat, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2005 7
34. The One Gesture System delivers a viable solution to the sustainable creation and distribution of wealth, while bringing together different interests End Beneficiaries The One Gesture System should be perceived as an organic mechanism, with all its parts being in constant interaction. The manner in which customers change their mentality, triggers evolutions at the corporate level, that carry forward their desires. This initial impulse propagates through renown NGOs to those in need, in under-developed countries. The shifts in their standard of living creates a strong feedback that moves back to the NGOs, then to the companies and then to the customers, that put in motion yet another cycle 9
35. The One Gesture Card hasthe power to create a new type of connection between customer and corporation As Is To Be Company A End of process Shop Customer1 Discount Company B Customer3 Company A Company B Common Gesture Account Customer1 Shop Shop Company C Donation Customer2 End of process Customer1 Customer3 Discount Customer4 Discount Customer2 Feedback Feedback Company C End of process Shop Customer3 By using The One Gesture Card when acquiring different products, a customer will receive a discount represented by a percentage of the purchase, while at the same time, a donation of the same size will be made by the company into the Common Gesture Account. The card can be used at distinct companies that have previously formed an alliance, which will win in customer base and volume of sales, because of the newly created competitive advantage. Customers will gain personal fulfillment by donating while buying 10
36. Assisted by world renown NGOs, the Gesture Managing Department will ensure a lean drive of resources from the companies to those in need To Be Common Gesture Account NGO1 Under-developed country1 Food Donation Under-developed country2 NGO2 Water Under-developed country3 Gesture Managing Department Resources Under-developed country4 NGO3 Feedback Health Under-developed country5 . . . . . . Feedback Education In order to develop an adequate coordination of all the resources collected into the Common Gesture Account, as well as to provide full transparency, a Managing Department (in which each company will have a representative) is going to be established Based on results, know-how and reputation but also on needs, a set of NGOs will be selected to maximize benefits using the available resources (e.g.: UNICEF, The Red Cross, World Food Program, etc) Field level of contribution Water& Food Health Education Time 11
52. When there is a need for change, an opportunity always arises We live in an World in which disparities between human beings are ever more present Significant shifts are taking place in our perception of the World as a living, integrated entity Customers, Corporations, NGOs and those less fortunate should face reality together, in a symbiotic manner In addressing the present and future challenges, the One Gesture System provides a viable solution in merging different interests in one coherent line of thought and action 14