INDUSTRIALIZATION IS THE ENGINE VISION 2030 NEEDS TO MOVE

Today’s globalized economy requires a well-educated workforce that can aptly apply their skills and readily adapt to the evolving needs of the economy. In Kenya we boast of our educated manpower yet, time and time again, we have witnessed lack of skilled personnel in key fields including engineering and medicine. Expatriates are constructing our roads, treating our patients and mining our resources. Our global ranking in higher education and training is wanting. The 2013/2014 Competitiveness Index report places Kenya at position 103 out of 148 countries surveyed.

Postgraduate training, which enables students to gain specialized training and impart skills to address various challenges, is expensive and few people in our country can afford it. This has resulted into few numbers of students enrolling for postgraduate studies. This is especially evident in scientific fields, which remains at an all time low. During the 50th Congregation of the University of Nairobi, only about 30 per cent of the 8,971 graduates got postgraduate degrees in different category. About 0.82 per cent received Doctor of Philosophy degrees.

The government continually strives to improve these statistics and the industry should increase its contribution to complement the efforts made so far and build more capacity. Universities and other higher education institutions can increase capacity building opportunities, especially for post graduate training by making partnership with the industry a clear priority.

Education and industrial sectors have different mandates; industry setup to generate revenue while the aim of education is to generate new knowledge, disseminate it and undertake human resource development. There is therefore need to en- sure the relationship is beneficial to the two and sustainable.

Industries can contribute in capacity development through research funding, provide equipment and laboratories, student scholarships, provide practical training centres for students to gain hands on-skills and experience and  even in curriculum development to ensure that graduate skills match industrial needs.

Industry as a vital component of national innovation systems can propel economic development as they tap into the pool of expertise from universities including applied research and intellectual property while also teaming up with universities to set up technology transfer centres and science parks.

Most of the research carried out to provide solutions to local challenges only end up at the report stage and rarely benefit the society as intended. They can only impact the society through dissemination of research findings and application.

Also, incorporating entrepreneurship training, which is required to encourage graduates to become job creators rather than seekers, could lead to spin-offs and incubators for wealth creation and economic development.

Sustainable capacity building must involve human resource planning vis a vis the current number of skilled personnel in each sector. It is high time we implement the recommendations of manpower audits done in the country to be able to meet the   requirements of the industry as well as limit staffing crisis frequently experienced.

The programmes and projects aligned for second phase of the Vision 2030 requires specialized skills and training to be able to deliver the promises set by Vision 2030. Only through quality higher education and training will we be able to transform our economy beyond simple production processes into a knowledge economy.

STRATEGIZE TO RISE ABOVE THE CROWD AND STAY AHEAD IN 2014

Ever wondered why some brands quickly fade away soon after their colourful launches while others linger on and never die? Well, a lot may be attributed to the different scenarios yet I believe critical calculations, which I refer to as strategic thinking. Strategic thinking concepts cut across the board and are applicable for organizations both in the service and product industries.

Strategic thinking is critical for organizations striving to gain competitive advantage in 2014.  Only those organizations that will strategically position themselves will be able to move from where they are to where you want to be.

Strategic thinking helps organizations to formulate a road map of where they want to go and how to get there.  It involves a creative analysis of the organization past and present performance while also focusing on its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Strategic thinking involves creativity to come up with solutions to common challenges faced by peers but, which others have not considered.

To gain competitive edge organizations must develop effective strategic leaders, create clear communication channels, develop key competencies and capabilities as required to achieve the set priorities, develop crucial organizational structures and processes, sustain an effective organizational culture, and infusing ethical value systems into an organization’s culture. Indeed, strategic teams have been known to brainstorm on various proposals and priorities, which can catapult the organization to where they want to be.

What then are some of the strategies that can ensure that our organizations remain competitive and relevant?

Timing is everything, read the mood in the market, find out the right time to launch a product or roll out a strategy. Positioning yourself at the right time makes a whole lot of difference. What is the feedback you receive as you implement various strategies? It is important to take into consideration what others are saying about what you do as it sometimes help refine the strategy or impose new strategic directions.

Feedback must be received from colleagues, superiors, subordinates and your market outreach. Uniqueness is another strategy organizations have used to outclass their peers. Take time to find out that which sets you apart from everyone else, the one element that makes you stand out and separates you from the crowd. This you must capitalize on to drive your organization into greater heights.

In business the customer is king. Customer- focused organizations focus their strategies towards finding out who their customers really are, what their customers need and how to satisfy those needs. As they do so they are handsomely rewarded through increased market share.

Review of performance is critical to assess progress of any strategy implementation process. It is prudent to stop for awhile and carry out an audit of your performance with an aim to improve the processes and perform better. Alliances are also important to help us lean on others to excel, establish who you need on board for a successful flight. This may take the form of financiers or even mentors whose experience can be your learning ground as you set strategies for your organization.

We live in an increasingly competitive world and only organizations whose brands stand out thrive.  To remain competitive requires an organization to constantly be on top of its game to be ranked among the best if not the best.   It is therefore imperative for such organizations to think strategically to be able to meet or even surpass their targets.