She says that further development of Schiphol will require a clear definition of the role of the government. The global network knowledge-based economy is being stimulated by three interrelated and mutually reinforcing factors. The first of these is the ongoing liberalization of international markets. The elimination of trade barriers is boosting economic dynamism and creating ways of making quicker use of innovations in other countries and continents. As a result, the connection between economic activities in the world is steadily increasing.
Companies are at once supplier and customer of other companies.
The production chains consist of a growing number of links. Second, the increasingly knowledge-intensive nature of the economy and the greatly improved means of communication are making it not only possible but indeed essential to achieve more rapid cooperation and communication over greater distances. Finally, the development of ever cheaper and faster transport is making an essential contribution to present changes in the international economy. An important consequence of the globalization of the economy is that more and more companies are becoming part of international alliances, and truly national companies are being relegated to a background role. It is less self-evident, for example, that Dutch companies will opt for the Netherlands.