Disciplined Imagination Over Pure Invention

“Ruben always maintained that the most important thing for a corporate leader was to have “disciplined imagination.” By this, he meant that imagination should be used in a purposeful way.”

“The pattern within Åkerlund & Rausing was clear: young talented men were hired and sent at someone else’s expense to the USA to follow the developments in the grocery and packaging industries. The results of the “espionage” were to be sent home to Ruben immediately. Afterward, if Ruben decided it was something to invest in, the assignment was passed on to Nils Andersson, who was tasked with constructing a suitable machine. The salesmen were well aware of this: that the company’s product range was predominantly based on American inventions. Ruben, on the other hand, liked to talk about them as Åkerlund & Rausing’s own achievements.”