The importance of international entrepreneurship in the Netherlands Peter Cras, general director KCH

Facts Export (2008): $537 billion Most important partners: Germany 25%, Belgium 12%, France 10%. Import (2008): $485 billion Most important partners: Germany 17%, Belgium 9%, France 5%.

Facts Agriculture: Third largest exporting country (after U.S.A. & France) ± 10th largest economy in the World

Facts Open economy Nation with a trade culture Prosperous country

Facts More competition Much bigger playing field Who has a lot can lose a lot Who has a little can win a lot

The times they are a-changin Research/development Production Services Money People 'Swappen' over the world

Primairy conditions to stay at the top Competent to act in a global market and motivated to compete with many others

The Dutch challenge To keep (or regain) the hunger for success Not to lean back and quarrel about whos getting what of the richness pie Thats quite a challenge

information: any place, any time, anywhere the world has become the playing field flexibility and mobility will change from nice to must for many people Mobility: an economic necessity Labour market and education

broaden your horizon about people and systems learn to understand that your set of values is just one set of values become richer as a person the cultural opportunities depend on the position in which the mobility takes place

When the walls came down and the windows went up When the walls came down and the windows went up Thomas Friedman in The world is flat Bringing down physical and mental walls is the start of internationalisation. Bringing down physical and mental walls is the start of internationalisation.