Christopher Columbus--Consulting and the Emerging Technology-Economy of the New World

Columbus Day, 2009--October 12, 2009--Christopher Columbus was a consultant for his times--and, perhaps, a model for today.  A short history--from my memory, so it is in part a fable--In that time (1490's), Italy had a "lock" on the overland trade routes to Asia--silks, spices, exotic goods of all sorts funnelled through Venice, Italy.  Many of the neighboring countries were frequently at war with each other and had lots of expenses and no money to pay for them, having taxed their inhabitants enormously.   Christopher Columbus, from Genoa, Italy, was working as a map maker in Portugal where navigators of sailing vessels were trained.  Christopher Columbus became convinced that he could find a "short cut" to the "Indies" (the name for the islands where exotic spices such as pepper came from).  (Remember, in those days before referigeration, spices could cover the taste of bad meat--a real problem for the dining table.)  He needed a sponsor and, after much sacrifice, got the Queen of Spain to sponsor his expedition.  In dreaming-up his short cut he (along with most other explorers of his time) didn't know about an entire continent that lay in his way before he could sail around the world to Asia and "the Indies." 

To make a long story short, Christopher Columbus didn't know where he was going, got someone to pay his way in advance, didn't know where he was when he arrived--or where he had been, though he could find his way home.  Instead of pepper, he brought chilies.  Instead of the Indies, he found the West Indies.  Instead of a short-cut to riches, he found (and claimed) some islands and, eventually, an entire continent on behalf of Spain.

He lived in a time of emerging economies--everyone needed new sources of money and finding a new continent became lucritive for all of the European countries around Spain--except for Italy.  The technology was also up and coming--newer magnetic compasses, newer ideas for sailing.  Finding countries who didn't have the kind of armament and weaponry that the Europeans commanded in the late 1400's.

Today we are in an emerging economy, exploring new technologies, looking for sponsors, and we have consultants who can provide advice--though we may not know where we are going or where we've been when we get there.  It sounds asthough Christopher Columbus may be a good role model for consultants of our times as well.