When I visited the Philippines a while ago, I had the opportunity to go diving. It was a fantastic experience to watch the rich marine life under water and to get a closer view of all the corals, fish and turtles. It struck me that even there, among all the various underwater creatures fighting for survival, the concept of partnership is very important.
What triggered my thoughts was the seemingly odd couple of a fish and a shrimp, living together on the sea floor. While the fish was keeping watch, the shrimp was frantically digging a hole in the sand. If I got too close both the fish and the shrimp immediately disappeared into the hole, which protected them from the perceived attack. They complemented each other and, thanks to this partnership, their chances of survival were far greater than if they had been on their own.
Above water, in business life, teaming up and sharing each other's resources has also become an increasingly common way to work. Evolution covers this topic in an article headlined “The alliance age.” The magazine also features a number of case stories that give concrete examples of successful partnerships.
Just like partnerships, e-commerce has rapidly become a buzzword in the industrial world. The opportunities on the Internet are countless and, once explored and implemented, often seem simple and obvious. Systems and solutions that are new and exciting today will soon be commonplace, and we will
wonder how we could ever do without them. The article “Markets of the future” tells about this development from a business-to-business perspective.
After six successful years as editor-in-chief of Evolution, Janerik Dimming has left the magazine to take up new challenges outside SKF. As his successor, my ambition is to continue providing you with a well-designed and exciting magazine. My own thoughts and experiences will of course influence it, but the core concept – to offer interesting articles about business and technology for a global industrial audience – will remain.
Finally I would like to wish you pleasant reading. If you have any questions, or if you would like to order a copy of Evolution for a colleague, please contact your nearest SKF office.
Marie Möller Gumabon
Editor-in-chief
