ABSTRACT
For a future European research programme within this field, however, it would be desirable to broaden the scope further. I would like to see action and research in at least three other sectors, by themselves very different. One is the telecommunications industry, the telecom corporations, like Alcatel, Ericson and Nokia as well as the new private operators, and the transformed state-controlled agencies. If it is true that Europeans have a certain knack for managing and innovating complex technological systems, this is the prime case, where Europe has advanced far ahead of Japan. What can weaker sectors learn from this high-growth industry? Another field where Europe demonstrates skills in complex management is the new breed of cross-border mergers, like Swiss-Swedish ABB and Anglo-French GEC-Alsthom. If we were to write a European 'In Search of Excellence', which might be a most worthwhile venture in order to harness European will and skill, we should certainly include these corporations, and the organisational lessons in crossborder learning they teach us.
