A recent article by Digital News Asia caught my attention. It reported on MDEC CEO Anuar Fariz Fadzil’s call for Malaysian businesses to stop talking about innovation and start executing. Speaking at the Digital Economy Innovation Forum, he pointed out that the real problem isn’t a lack of ideas, it’s an execution gap. Many businesses already have innovation frameworks in place but still struggle to turn intent into results at speed and scale.
He’s right and it’s a conversation worth having.
There’s another side to this, however, that often goes unsaid, and it’s one we’ve seen play out time and again working with businesses across industries at Hashim Communications.
The Other Side of the Execution Gap
The execution gap isn’t just on the vendor or policy side. Customers themselves are a big part of the puzzle.
Walk into any procurement meeting, and one of the first questions a vendor gets is: “Who else is already using this?” It’s a fair question.
If every manufacturer, planter, logistics exec, or procurement head was willing to be a guinea pig, that would solve a lot of problems, right?
What happens instead is that they wait for someone else to go first. Vendors can’t get reference customers. Customers won’t move without references. So, last last, nothing gets executed lor!
Some call this “the first-mover paradox” and I see where they are coming from. Sadly, it’s quietly undermining the very execution agenda MDEC is pushing.
Who’s Going to Be Brave Enough to Buy First?
So yes, let’s push businesses to execute faster. Let’s also not forget to ask the question of: Who is going to be brave enough to buy first?
While trying to think of a way to move the needle, I wondered:
What if GLCs and public agencies formalize their role as first adopters? By deliberately stepping up as early customers of homegrown solutions, they give local vendors a credible reference and a real launchpad. I know some are already doing this, but we need more to step up.
What if pilot models are driven by performance-linked or co-funded structures? Maybe customers would be far more willing to adopt if the risk isn’t all on them? Could this reduce the hesitation that makes customers wait?
What if we recognize early adopters publicly? Would making being first something to be proud of, and not nervous about, really be such a bad idea?
Moving First, Moving Together
The innovation economy needs bold vendors. It equally needs bold buyers.
MDEC’s push to close the execution gap is the right call. The missing piece in that conversation is the customer side that hold the key to whether any of this actually moves.
Both sides need to move together.
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Kam Hashim is the founder of Hashim Communications (www.hashimpr.com), a communications consultancy working with businesses across industries in Malaysia.
