The Land of the Long Lunch

“There is no possibility of achieving competitiveness without raising the culture of productivity,” said Professor Michael Porter, addressing the audience at 2nd Global Competitiveness Forum in Riyadh on Monday. If past experience of conferences in Saudi are anything to go by, half his audience would have been snoozing, the other half considering their lunch options.
Not that this should stop the Porter, professor at the Harvard Business School, an expert on economic competitiveness and paid north of $50,000 for making the trip, from delivering his presentation. He went to claim the poor productivity of the Saudi workers was due to the lack of proper training. A generous statement, but one that at least offered practical advice to the three Ministers in the audience.
As sensible and practical Porter might be, what Saudi needs is evidence of home grown productivity, not more words. If it can show how a lean, hardworking, motivated company is winning new business and competing on the world stage, then it might help convince Saudi industry. Until then, nice lunch, isn’t it?