As the original texts are written in Turkish, English translation is provided for non-Turkish readers. The author apologizes in advance for any and all possible changes and losses in meaning due to translation.
While thinking about the celebration of the 167th year of our company on October 1, 2014, I considered the most fundamental factors that bring success to a company within the framework of the hot topic of “sustainability”. Yes, a company can fail to catch the future despite its remarkable successes today or it may go bankrupt today despite its bright and high-potential future plans. The secret to the art of entrepreneurship is the balance between the present and the future. The survival of a company must be ensured while performing successful operations today. This is surely not easy at all. It is not within everyone’s means to be able to always play this game in the highest league. The history of many successful companies clearly reveals this fact. Guaranteeing the future is always associated with financial and moral investments. These include investments in new technologies and products, new regional markets and sales channels, as well as investments in securing the customer portfolio, trust, new generations, people, and the environment. The most important factor behind all these investments is the responsibility of the company towards its customers, employees, society, and the environment.
There is no exact solution to guarantee the future of a company in an uncertain future. Strategic planning always includes a rational and an emotional element. The right path is understood later on. However, the costs for good or bad decisions are paid faster today, compared to a few years ago. At strategic decision stages, it is the entrepreneur’s call. He takes decisions deliberately by taking risks, and at the same time by assuming the responsibility of not risking everything. The most important conditions for continuous success are multidimensional thinking, seeing the big picture, and getting good grades. In this context, particularly the interests of all stakeholders should be considered (shareholders, customers, employees, and the environment).
For me, continuous success* is based on five factors:
• Flexibility
• Belief
• Consistency
• Striving
• Reliability
No Comments