High-knowledge Enterprise Case Study Shows Nordic Countries Driving Away Valuable Talent Exclusion, apathy and perceived dishonesty (i.e. not red tape and high taxes) are at the centre of what is driving gifted academic entrepreneurs away from the Nordic countries, if a newly-released case study is to be believed. Innovators don't thrive in an environment of ethnic exclusion and innovation activities can be fatally hampered by failure on the part of European countries to incubate and support them with even meager resources. These are only a couple of the valuable lessons brought forth in a corporate historical account which is increasingly being utilized by business schools and government agencies as a central case study of innovation and talent flight. The Nordic countries which have traditionally been seen as the beacon of the innovation or information society are portrayed in this exceptional account as lacking the interest, openness and cultural inclusion necessary to attract and keep the best international talent. Canada, on the other hand is portrayed as an open and welcoming environment where international talent can quickly get on its feet and start creating new products and services. The case study Original History of The SPACEPOL Corporation follows the harrowing tale of several of the founders of a high-knowledge research network in Finland and Norway and who gradually find themselves struggling to escape a seemingly almost universal stagnation, discrimination and apathy in their own region in the 2000s. Luckily, the main founder has connections to Canada where there appears to be a vibrant and welcoming culture of innovation. The choice to relocate the network which has now become a commercial business is not hard for the team who vote with their feet and leave their Nordic roots behind them- seemingly with gusto. We've all heard of innovative new firms fueled by the ambitions of talented lateral thinkers. We've all come across the topic of brain drain. But what does it feel like to vote with your feet and leave one country for another in hopes of better markets and a more attractive business culture? The newly released case study illustrates the brain drain phenomenon from a first-hand perspective which to date has been lacking but which is needed in Europe and elsewhere to better understand the factors and processes involved. Universities, business schools, government agencies and EU projects interested in how to attract and keep the best talent would do well to delve into one of the few existing tales of brain drain out there. This is a book that should be required reading in nations on both the losing and the gaining end of the brain drain phenomenon. Keywords brain drain Countries Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Spain, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, United Kingdom
