Productivity is falling in Denmark compared to Sweden, investors are steering clear of Denmark, and ‘Made in Denmark’ is dead. So, if you want your business to survive in the coming year, you need to innovate now – or never.

Productivity is falling
Danish industry is losing pace. On December 21, Statistics Denmark downgraded the productivity numbers drastically from 1.3 to 0.7. This means we are working more but growth is not following suit.

“Denmark is getting poorer compared to countries we normally compare ourselves with,” Tore Stramer, chief analyst at Nykredit, said.

Investors steering clear
A Copenhagen Capacity report in 2015 showed that Denmark/Copenhagen comes in second last when it comes to attracting investments. Lower investments in Danish companies indicate that we are losing speed and relevance.

Denmark is a relatively small economy and Danish companies are investing more and more outside Denmark. If we want to develop innovative solutions for the world, we need capital.

‘Made in Denmark’ is dead
For years ‘Made in Denmark’ has been printed on designer furniture, digital and green solutions, health and welfare solutions and even bike lanes (Copenhagen Lanes). This strong trademark has helped numerous Danish companies enter new markets and attracted talents from all over the world.

In 2015 the Washington Post pictured a man spitting on refugees and Denmark got ‘honoured’ at COP21 for lowering all ambitions for a greener future. ‘Made in Denmark’ was questioned across the globe.

So my question to you is: how will you succeed in 2016 if your products are too expensive, bring no added value to our lives and if ‘Made in Denmark’ is no longer a brand worth paying for?