Alfred de Musset once wrote ‘In order to succeed in this world, bear in mind these three maxims : seeing is knowing ; to desire is to be able ; daring is having.’
The security and defence market, the former being fragmented yet offering excellent opportunities for growth and the latter more structured but lacking in growth and budgets, provide our French businesses, small businesses, agencies and great champions with the possibility of affecting growth within our country, overseas trade and ultimately affecting employment. These markets possess high added value, thus they indisputably have a leverage effect.
Seeing. Seeing the dearth of financial resources available to businesses, seeing the scarcity in terms of knowledge of foreign markets possessed by small businessmen, seeing the lack of an internationalist culture which burdens our development, seeing the absence of relationships between the various parties, seeing the necessity of a more structured approach. Seeing the great opportunities on offer now and in the future, seeing the abilities and the expertise of our institutional and industrial agents, and finally seeing the jewels which shine in the shadows which could make our national wealth flourish. If we see, we know!
Desire. Without a shadow of a doubt, desire is the glue that unites all the various parties in this sector, be it security or defence. There is an aspiration to seek and to find new markets, to develop exports, an aspiration to involve even the smallest businesses, to unite, an aspiration to invest, to provide support, an aspiration to engage in competition and an aspiration to triumph! This desire is clear for all to see. But the situation calls for political will to support the sector and for a more combative approach on the part of businesses.
Anticipation and reaction, planning and globalization, structuring and an electric shock of simplification, in other words hammering home this message can bring hope for change.
So, at a time when enormous markets are emerging in the Middle-East, in Asia and in Africa, isn’t it the moment to move beyond hoping and simply daring in order to have?