Knowledge must flow between people and organisations – it cannot simply be gathered and stored. Information alone is not knowledge, nor can it grant wisdom or be put to use until it is properly applied.
DNV today has more than 300 offices in 100 countries, and provides risk-management services for industry worldwide. It is this international strength that has been Sven Ullrings greatest legacy, supported by his unswerving drive to introduce the most up-to-date technology.
The best technology at any one moment is quickly superseded, he believes. Particularly is this true of information technology. So DNV must always be at the forefront in applying the latest technology to its business.
People, too, are equally vital. It is when the best people have at their command the best technology that DNV can prosper. My philosophy has always been to give our staff full responsibility to have confidence in them so that they can develop both for their own sakes and for the benefit of DNV as a whole. Plotting the course has been my responsibility, but we succeed only if our customers trust us. So we in turn must match their expectations of both our technology and our people.
Sven Ullring himself has been the driving force for DNVs implementing new technology. Much of it has been developed in its own research laboratories a feature unique among classification societies or in close collaboration with industry and other research bodies around the world.
As an engineer by training, he is keenly interested in identifying how procedures can be made better and simpler. A typical example in the maritime world is DNVs digital production system Nauticus, introduced in 1992 and continuously developed ever since as a means to enable shipowners, designers and yards to have instantly available data on a vessels construction and operational history.
Knowledge the key to business decisions
Soon after Sven Ullring was appointed CEO in 1985, the world suffered a sharp fall in both shipping and oil at that time DNVs principal markets. So in 1990 we began developing our certification services for, primarily, land-based industries. We had been classifying ships since 1864, and this is effectively a form of certification in which we ourselves establish the Rules. It was a natural progression to develop industrial certification in accordance with international standards.
At the heart of DNVs subsequent growth has been Ullrings belief that knowledge-sharing is becoming the single most important factor in any companys competitiveness. The development of people as managers of knowledge is an integral part of this philosophy.
New applications of information technology, and each new generation of users, create opportunities for enhancing safety, efficiency and profitability across the whole spectrum of maritime and industrial activities.
So knowledge, rather than low-cost labour or raw materials, is increasingly the most important competitive factor for companies in virtually any industry, Knowledge is primarily associated with human experience and insight especially knowledge for managing risk, the heart of DNVs business. And of course a companys management must motivate its entire staff to utilise this knowledge.
The future lies in integration
Developments in communications and information technology, Ullring considers, will certainly be the driving force for change in the shipping industry, and the key to its growth and profitability. This is equally true of ship classification.
Proper use of new technology will make possible significant economic gains through more cost-effective ship design, construction and operation; and it will also help meet stringent new demands in safety and environmental protection. And for offshore and land-based industry, information technology will give companies better, more immediate access to support and expertise. This will undoubtedly be vital to DNVs own continued growth in serving our industrial clients.
But knowledge must flow, to be of any use. It cannot simply be gathered and stored. Information alone is not knowledge, nor can it be exploited until people and organisations properly apply it. Hence the need for skilled, motivated people able to manage knowledge, recognise what is important, and see that it is applied.
So I believe the challenge in years to come will be to integrate information technology, business competence and organisational strategy into a whole. This synergy will create profitability and lasting value.
And it is safe to say that Sven Ullrings own contribution, throughout his 15 years at DNVs helm, has proved in full the truth of this philosophy.