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Scandinavia Ranks on the Top 10 List of World’s Most Competitive Countries

Tor Kjølberg

July 14, 2022

Scandinavia Ranks on the Top 10 List of World’s Most Competitive Countries. Denmark ranks at the top, while Sweden is no. 4 and Norway no. 9.

For the first time in the 34 years that the IMD Business School has published its World Competitiveness Ranking, Denmark rose from third place last year to the top spot for 2022.

For context, the IMD report analyses and ranks economies based on how the government manages its competencies and policies in domains such as economic, government, business, and infrastructure to achieve long-term value creation, comprising 333 competitiveness criteria which go beyond the realms of gross domestic product (GDP) and productivity levels. The most competitive economy has a score of 100.

After steadily climbing the list from number 6 in 2018, Denmark received high marks for its resilient economy, law and order, social responsibility, stability, cohesion, absence of corruption, openness to trade, adaptability, ongoing education and motivated employees.

Related: The Danish Way

“Denmark is the most digitally advanced country in the world and now takes the top spot thanks to good policies, advantages afforded by being a European country, a clear focus on sustainability and a push from its agile corporate sector,” Arturo Bris, a professor at the Lausanne, Switzerland-based IMD, said in the statement.

At a quick glance, the top 10 most competitive economies globally are:

Denmark (100)

Switzerland (98.92)

Singapore (98.11)

Sweden (97.71)

Hong Kong (94.89)

Netherlands (94.29)

Taiwan (93.13)

Finland (93.04)

Norway (92.96)

United States (89.88)

Source: IMD

“This good result reflects that we, in many ways, have an incredibly well-functioning society and some very strong businesses,” Allan Sørensen, chief economist at the Confederation of Danish Industry (Dansk Industri, DI), told DI Business.

Along with the other Nordic nations, the Danish economy fared better through lockdowns than most of its wealthy peers, helped by strong social safety networks, low debt levels and digital progress, as well as lower dependency on tourism. Denmark’s unemployment is at its lowest level in 14 years and gross domestic product will likely expand 3.4% this year, according to the most recent government forecast.

Scandinavia on the Top 10 List of World’s Most Competitive Countries, written by Tor Kjolberg

Feature image (on top): Photo © Ava Coploff on Unsplash

Quality Sailing – The Swedish Way

Tor Kjølberg

July 13, 2022

The rich history of Scandinavian sailing has grown and developed from the ever-intriguing history of the Vikings’ longboats through the oldest sailing club in Scandinavia and one of the five oldest in the world, the Royal Swedish Yacht Club, founded 15 May 1830 to a number of modern yacht clubs spread all over Scandinavia. One of them, Navigare Yachting, was founded in 2001 by Swedish Jesper Rönngard and Per Abrahamsson.

Jesper and Per were actually skippers from the beginning with deep knowledge of customer experience. Their mission was to give clients the opportunity to sail state of the art yachts in warmer waters with excellent service and security. As students from Lunds University, they skippered in Greece over the summers, and came to the conclusion that they can do much better than the experience the customers were given. Said and done, the business started in Poros, south of Athens in Greece with four Bavaria 44s and by the end of the year the fleet had grown to six!

Today, Navigare Yachting has a fleet of over 300 yachts worldwide, and close to 250,000 sailors have experienced one or more of the company’s yachts either as part of its luxury yacht charter services or the ownership programs.

Jesper and Per are from Malmö and have run Navigare Yachting with commitment and genuine interest in sailing as well as the company’s destinations. Their commitment has now developed into a professional company that operates in many countries, both in terms of sales and operations. Although they are physically in other places in the world most of their time, they consider their hometown Malmö an important meeting point for the parent company.

It’s all in the details
Jesper and Per’s vision was to give the customers a carefree experience, by among many other things, offer a Carefree Pack with a “Peace of Mind Guarantee” – which means clients don’t have to pay any security deposit or deductible, and they’re never liable for accidental damages they might experience during a charter holiday.

Related: Norway Afloat

”My family chartered with Navigare Yachting for the first time in 2008 in Croatia when my dad turned 40,” says Emma Lydén. ”Shortly afterwards, my parents realized the value of having a boat with Navigare, and bought a monohull, Jeanneau 509. Not having to take care of all the maintenance and on top of that, escaping the bad conscience when the boat may not be used as much as it should, made the choice to buy a boat with Navigare very easy!” she continues.

Navigare is all about the experience
Onboard a Navigare yacht the clients will be blown away by ever changing surroundings and experience full freedom of letting the wind take them to new exciting destinations every day.

The core and heart of the company rests upon the service-minded and hardworking team members, now 100 full-time employees and as many seasonal staff. It is thanks to their dedication and passion that Navigare has enjoyed such growth and success.

The company expect their guests will want to sail new destinations like the Bahamas and Seychelles, and access the latest models from the leading yacht builders, both monohulls and catamarans. They are always striving to add new destinations and to update the fleet to keep up with customer demands and desires.

“This year will be the tenth time that we have booked a sailboat via Navigare, and it has always felt safe. You know that the boats are checked, and you get a good overview before departure,” says one client, Lena Kempén and adds, “Our sailing trip in 2021 was the best so far with wonderful weather for two weeks. In the marinas, you are received by helpful staff, who patiently show you how to dock. In smaller bays, you are often greeted by a guy from the local restaurant who helps with providing a mooring. To anchor in a secluded bay, sunbath and swim, and then take the dinghy ashore to a small restaurant in the evening, that is the height of happiness!”

Emma Lydén, Global Project Manager Boat Shows & Events in Navigare, is both a member of the team and a long-time ambassador for the company. She says, “My mother saw the value in letting the boat pay for itself, as it generates an annual revenue each year when it’s chartered via Navigare, and at the same time we have our holidays locked and loaded. We have had the opportunity to sail all over the world, and test both monohulls and catamarans in different waters. Last winter, my parents bought their third boat with Navigare Yachting, after selling their previous boats in the fleet. The new boat, a catamaran (BALI 4.8), will be placed in the Seychelles! In other words, they have made a bit of a journey, and have been able to upgrade the size of the boat thanks to the guaranteed annual Revenue/income.

Quality, Freedom, Reliability
Navigare is a company that delivers quality in all its stages. From first contact with the customer down to the care of the boats. The company also offers its clients the freedom to travel almost anywhere in the world and experience yachting in their own pace. Everything is possible, nothing is impossible. Our planet is diverse and beautiful, what better way to experience it than on the sea close to the elements. Cast off the lines and let the adventure begin!

However, reliability is essential. With bases all over the world, Navigare delivers a consistent high-quality product, and should the client run into issues on their holiday the staff does its utmost to remedy any situation as soon as possible. The clients know what they get, regardless of destination.

There are several competitors who deliver the same product but not to the same high level as Navigare. Quality permeates the entire company.

“Navigare Yachting has also launched a Service platform, where boat owners are able to track in real time all performed and planned services on the yacht. This is a great example of the transparency that the company has towards its boat owners who have chosen to place their yachts in Navigares’ fleet, says Lydén and continues, “The service platform generates a complete service book containing all history, which means that the resale value is also significantly higher. This was a big contributing factor to why my parents felt safe investing in a yacht with Navigare, to have insight into the maintenance of the yacht. Even if a charter boat wears to a different extent when it is rented out, it will also receive significantly more hours of professional maintenance than a privately owned boat would. During the winter, all boats are serviced, and after 5 years in the fleet, for example, all sails are replaced on all of the yachts.”

Clients with varying sailing experience
Navigare clients vary from experienced sailors who book bareboat charters to “first-timers” who book all-inclusive yacht charters which include a skipper and hostess.

“Excellent service, the boat was in very good condition and ready to go on time. The staff on-site was knowledgeable of the best spots to cruise to and what to see, as well as what was open for onshore dining. They provided a thorough walkthrough of the boats systems and helped me remote trouble-shoot a water pump issue which was easily solved over the phone. It’s my second time with Navigare in Marsh Harbour and we will definitely be back!” says Adam, one of many satisfied customers.

The future
Numbers show that the demand for catamarans continues to grow and has exceeded the demand for monohulls. The demand for bigger is up, so all yachts are getting bigger.

During and after the pandemic, people have been looking for a way to explore new destinations and travel in smaller groups to avoid crowded places. Sailing is a great way to travel between different places without crowds!

We’re experiencing an increased demand from so called “non-sailors”. Our customers really appreciate the genuine sailing experience, being close to nature and in harmony with the ocean. Exploring secluded bays and untouched nature by sailing there, is something that a lot of travellers really appreciate. Whether you are an experienced salty sailor or an enthusiastic newbie, Navigare Yachting wants sailing to be a carefree and relaxed experience! We want our guests to feel safe onboard, knowing that the boats are taken well care of, and if you hire a crew to sail the boat for you, we want to be able to guarantee that the staff is highly capable and provide our guests the best possible experience! Discover the Scandinavian standard of chartering!

Quality Sailing – The Swedish Way, written in collaboration with Navigare Yachting by Tor Kjolberg.

All images © Navigare Yachting

Apples From Scandinavia

Tor Kjølberg

July 11, 2022

Apples are the most loved, most widely grown and varied fruit crop in Scandinavia. There are thousands of original cultivars, but few of them are known outside the region, despite the fact that apples grown in the northern soils are tastier and crisper than those from warmer, sunnier climates. Learn more about apples from Scandinavia.

Such qualities are being appreciated by a rapidly growing number of people in Scandinavia, who are rejuvenating the fruit-tree trade, grafting at home, planting small orchards, saving aged fruit trees, and demanding old cultivars with more taste in the s’hops. This comes after decades during which imported apples, such as Golden Delicious and Granny Smith, have dominated the scene. It’s high time that we discovered these national treasures, a much too good and interesting heritage to let disappear. It is time that we taught our children that there’s more to apples than sweetness.

Cultivars
There are thousands of original cultivars, some of them known worldwide, such as Gravenstein, Gråsten is the original Danish name, after the royal castle Gråsten, where a very old tree of this cultivar (if not the original tree) still exists.

The Swedish apple Aroma has also achieved worldwide recognition, a lovely dark red eating apple with a waxy bloom. The Pigeon apple is another very special variety of old ancestry; it is probably even able to reproduce itself true to seed. It is a pretty small, dark red apple with a unique flavor. Traditionally picked in October, it is left to ripen and develop its intense color. Pigeons are eaten at Christmas, and even used to decorate the Christmas tree. They are delicious in salads and dipped in caramel.

Every country has its own cultivars, and many are kept alive in the national arboretums and local pomets (tree museums), where you can see the trees and taste the apples. Naturally, many more have vanished, but some can still be found unnamed, in old gardens and orchards. These multitudes of cultivars are mostly chance seedlings, revealing themselves on compost heaps and wherever somebody threw an apple core. The vast majority are worthless, but are a perfect example of serendipity at work: people have stumbled upon them, tried them and a few have been recognized and grown on for generations, in the neighborhood, long before there was any trade in fruit trees. Vicarages once played a large part in spreading both know-how and planting material of both useful and ornamental plants to their parishes, and before the Reformation the monasteries did the same.

Having religion paving the way was a very useful method of spreading the know-how to stubborn peasants, who did not want to use precious land for dainty fruit trees or berry bushes. But it caught on, the women probably realizing first that collecting wild apples of doubtful taste was not as good as growing your own grafted trees that were more prolific, with sweeter, juicier and more useful fruit. Sweetness was precious in old times, before sugar was accessible, when many fruits were dried for winter – and the sweeter the apple were, the better they were dried.

Related: Fruit From Scandinavia

Appearance and taste
The cold climate in Scandinavia means that apples grow at a slow pace, allowing the fruit to take up more minerals and other nutrients, which deepen the taste. Also, when the sun is not scorching, the apple do not need to grow such thick skin to stop the fruit from drying out.

Perfection in an apple is far from enough to secure a good fruit. You must know your cultivars, for example, and their uses. There is a huge difference between eating apples and cooking apples (even if cookers can be eaten uncooked late in the season). Eating apples have more acid and sometimes more sugar, keeping them firm while cooking. Cooking apples are lower in both, cooking to a pulp – it’s nice to know the difference if you plan on an apple pie or baked apple. Furthermore, how the apples have been shown to have more taste (as well as more nutrients) than conventionally grown fruit. Modern consumers often refuse to buy imperfect-looking apples with spots, fungi or blemishes, considering looks more important than taste or origin.

Buying and storing
If you just buy a bag of apples for immediate consumption, it’s easy – the fruit should be fragrant, firm and without rotten spots. Home-grown apples that you wish to store must be picked off the tree and put in wooden crates very carefully, as the slightest pressure will influence their durability. Store very cool and frost free. The apples should keep all winter – depending on the cultivar, of course. Apples collected from the ground must be used within a few days. Keep cool, but not necessarily in the fridge.

Health benefits
Apples are very good for you, particularly if you chose organic fruit, which have a higher and more varied content of minerals, micronutrients and vitamins than conventionally grown varieties. All apples contain serotonin, which helps us to keep happy.

There are a couple of important facts to be aware of. Firstly, modern cultivars are too sweet – actually so sweet that dentists advise us to consider them more like confectionary than fruit. Secondly, if you don’t choose to eat organic apples, you are exposing your body to the residues of pesticides found both on the skin and in the flesh of the fruit. The content may be below a level that is considered harmful, but even small doses are definitely not good for you or your children.

Culinary uses
Apples must be the most versatile fruit in the kitchen. They are eaten raw, in salads, or cooked, whether as a sauce, baked, stuffed or fried. As a dessert, in a cake, trifle or simply baked, apples are of course a classic. But they are as useful in savoury as in sweet cooking – and in Scandinavia there is a thriving tradition in both.

In savoury terms, apples are often paired with fish and pork. The tradition of combining them with meat and fish is celebrated particularly at Christmas, when they are stuffed into the Christmas goose or duck along with prunes and thyme, and on the Christmas lunch table there is apple with the crips roast pork, the herrings and the herring salad.

Braised pork with apples
This is a perfect take on the age-old marriage of pork and apples – ideal for Christmas, or a buffet. Once in the oven, it takes care of itself. Serve with potatoes.

2kg pork neck, in one piece, with rind
Coarse sea salt and pepper
4 fresh bay leaves
1.5kg eating apples
1 whole garlic bulb
1kg onions, peeled and quarted
2 cinnamon sticks
1 large sprig-of-fresh thyme
100ml cider vinegar
1 ½ liters unfiltered apple juice (not from concentrate)

SERVES 10

Preheat the oven to 150C/gas mark 2

Using a sharp knife, make slashes in the rind of the pork, then rub the meat generously with salt and pepper, make sure you rub plenty of salt into the cuts in the rind. Stick the bay leaves into the cuts.

Core and quarter the apples, but do not peel. Divide the garlic bulb into cloves, but do not necessarily peel. Arrange the apples, garlic, onions, cinnamon and thyme in a deep dish. This must be big enough to host the meat and vegetables in a layer of about 4cm deep. Squeeze the meat into the middle. Por the vinegar and juice over the vegetables.

Bake in oven for approximately 2 hour, turning the vegetables over once in a while to coat with the pan-juices. The meat is done when the juices run a pinkish brown and the cracking is crispy. If it is not crispy, put the meat on a rack and roast for a few minutes at 240C/gas mark 9, while you watch.

Leave the meat to rest for 20 minutes before carving. Mash the garlic in with the vegetables before serving.

Apples From Scandinavia, written by Tor Kjolberg

Feature image (on top): Apples in Skåne, Sweden. Photo: Visit Sweden