American bio-economy startups and SMEs are more successful than European ones in the sense that they stand on their own feet very fast.
The most important difference between the US and the EU bio-economy is that:
- US companies are integrated in the existing “market”…. the “market”;
- EU is trying to create some kind of parallel market… the bio-economic market…. whatever that means.
Market vs Plan Economy
The US approach is more business friendly and market driven. The US is successful in creating a market with demand and supply. Americans are more successful in injecting private capital in the bio-economy.
The EU is mostly working on the supply side through heavy subsidies and is making the EU bio-economy too dependent on subsidies. The EU bio economy will literally collapse overnight if EU institutions stop injecting subsidies. The EU bio-economy looks like a “plan economy”.
EU vs US Mentality
There are many differences between the “American” and “European” mentality.
- Commitment
Why is it that Americans always win? Americans are committed to wining.
Europeans are a bit more self-centred. The word “winning” has been banned from the European lexicon.
On average … Americans live for their work; Europeans work to make a living.
- Business Friendly
It’s easier to do business with Americans. It’s easier to sell a new product to Americans.
Europeans are more conservative to testing new things. Europeans are more complex, there are many different mentalities and cultural paradigms with unwritten rules.
- Failed Business Ventures
Failing in a business venture will be perceived as a strength in the US. Americans will consider that the individual has learned something from its failed business venture. Failing in a business venture will be stigmatising in the EU.
- National Interests
Americans won’t make a difference between Americans from other US states. Americans speak the same language.
Europeans are a bit more narrow minded and regionalistic. Europeans will always prefer to work with people from the same nationality. European don’t speak the same mother language.
Americans play like a team; Europeans play against each other.
- Diversity
Diversity is considered as a strength in the US.
In Europe, we say so but in reality it’s not. Europeans like to stick people into little boxes.
- Status Quo
Europeans are fixed in the status quo while Americans believe and know they can change the world.
- Open Mindedness
The Americans are more open to the World.
Europeans think they are at the cradle of civilisation. So Europeans remain colonialist in their mentality.
- Education System
The American education system is more competitive than the European one. Americans gain business acumen at a very young age.
Most Europeans don’t even understand the word “business acumen”.
US public officials with no private sector experience, will have more business acumen than EU public officials for instance. American public officials are more “practical” while EU public officials are more “theoretical”.
- Cash circulation
You give a price to an American, he/she will pay without discussion. Americans like to innovate and try new things.
The French don’t know how to circulate money and they abide to rigid hierarchical principles. They will probably mock you if you come up with a new idea.
It’s interesting to note that the European Union was built on the French school of public administration; EU institutions have a superiority complex and believe they are what the Italians call … L’ Ombelico del mondo (the belly button of the world).
The Dutch are said to be greedy. They’re successful in business, but it’s very tiring to do business with the Dutch as they want to give pennies for the dollar.
Germans like to do business with other Germans; they don’t have a “European” state of mind. They think about their own interests first; however they’re not the only ones in Europe.
The English are the most business friendly and cash circulating nation in Europe but they left the EU.
- Ledership
Americans will appoint one person to execute the vision and they just do it. Europeans will work with tens of committees watering down the vision and slowing down the execution.
Vision of Society
Is the American system better than the European one? Business wise …. yes; Human wise … no.
Europeans were more successful in building a “human-friendly” society than Americans.
The “American Dream” is a mirage …. it’s a “Corporate Dream”. America is not a country; it’s a business.
The American social security is not as good as the European ones. The American education system is too competitive and business driven. Most Americans will have to take heavy loans to pay for their studies … this indicates the existence of a class system.
European countries will provide better protection to lower and middle classes. Europeans will enjoy life more than Americans; Europeans are less materialistic.
However, the European and American elites are both driven by greed and material gain.
European diversity could be considered as a strength in building a “human centered” society.
Stereotyping
Please note that one should not reduce people to their nationality and national stereotypes.
Americanisation of the EU
EU institutions are being “Americanised” which is bad from a “Human” point of view.
European values are …. “the universal rights of the individual” which means “protecting individuals against private and public organisations …. at any time under any circumstance”.
However, EU institutions are losing the plot and becoming more Americanised.
From a Human point of view, it’s important to turn this trend around and to make American political institutions more “European”.
To place the “Human” at the the centre of policies is what we should do … while the Americans will place “Corporations” at the centre of their policies.
No system is perfect but perfection is what we should aim for …. and perfection from a human point of view is placing the human at the centre stage.
And today, both EU institutions and American political institutions are failing the “human” part.