California, February 16, 2010 – Israel’s short history is one of conflict and political tension. The Jewish state has no natural resources and is surrounded by hostile neighbors. So why has Israel produced more companies than Japan, India, China, Korea, Canada, and the United Kingdom?
Mouli Cohen, entrepreneur and philanthropist, answered this question today in an interview.
“The battlefield doubles as a classroom for many Israelis,” Cohen said. “Here Israelis learn the leadership techniques and improvisational skills that have made the country a breeding ground for business innovation and entrepreneurship.”
Cohen uses a punchy expression to describe the typical challenges of young soldiers whose fast thinking in dire situations trickles down to the business world.
“The ‘fog of war’ forces Israelis to own responsibility at a very young age,” explains Cohen. “There’s nowhere else in the world where people who work in the center of technological innovation also have to do a national service.”
A society that jams so many “transformative experiences” into folks barely out of high school translates into an unnatural maturity, remarks Cohen. Even in the army, Israelis aren’t timid about questioning authority (where did we pull this info? Please just confirm that this opinion was pulled from a credible source). This unique self-assurance means a private may tell a general in an exercise, “You are doing this wrong; you should be doing it in this way.”
Israelis quickly learn that “assertiveness is the norm, while reticence is something that risks your being left behind,” Cohen reports. “From an early age Israeli’s are educated to challenge the obvious, ask questions, debate everything, and innovate.”
About Mouli Cohen
Mr. Cohen is a successful entrepreneur who has founded and developed successful ventures in the biotechnology, high technology, digital media and entertainment sectors. He has balanced his success in business with extensive philanthropic activities. Over the years he has supported children’s charities, food programs, medical research, and the arts as well as education projects both in the US and abroad.