Singapore has no natural resources. We had to buy water from Malaysia. The “new water” innovation addressed this existential threat. Then neighbouring countries refused to sell sand to us, which was needed for infrastructure development. The “new sand” innovation addressed that issue.
This is a good lesson for all of us – whether for our organisation or for ourselves. It is easy to complain about our circumstances, but it is better that we channel our energies to innovate and overcome those circumstances. Check out this article…