[kictanet] IBM innovation

Fri Apr 20 12:52:35 EAT 2012

Listers

A writer's reputation can sometimes precede the message. I will confess
that I did not understand that it was irony or sarcasm that was intended.

The biggest opinion shapers have the greatest responsibility to always be
clear, factual, empathetic.  Robert Yawe is one such opinion shaper no
doubt. So the matter merited clarification.

And I certainly could not relate to the 'King is Dead, Long Live the King'
reference to this story.We  we can have a long debate about how that
analogy could have been best used in the context of that particular story.
My suggestion would be that the headline should have said. "The Mainframe
is dead, long live the Mainframe."  The issue of the headline has been
clarified.

Some clarification is needed based on a few comments. There does not exist
a prevailing sentiment that IBM is struggling as some imply here.

The list is divided into two strands. Those reacting to the substance of
the article (no controversy here really), and others reacting to the idea
that Robert has the right to use dramatic effect to get the attention to
the issue.

The challenge of Kictanet lies here. The issue is that if you don't read
the story and jump to conclusions you can miss the point. A few reactions
suggest that some did not and have further not read it and are using the
discourse to further the argument that we can express ourselves as we see
fit because the end justifies the means.

 The drama trumps the substance.

In forums such as this which are largely professional groupings, this
should not be the case.

Professional Journals, forums, groupings thrive because they provide
professionals with safe space away from popular, headline driven media. In
forums like this we should dig deep into issues if we so please and feel
professional protected. I would agree that a healthy dose of drama and
substance is good. Professionals have a responsibility to dig deep. This
forum it flows freely. Some feel some arguments are too personal, too
opinionated and some have too much conjecture. Others feel that when facts
and serious issues are presented, they are seen as boring. We get the
headlines we deserve and the blame the media.

There are many who won't come out of the "closet" and just say, sometimes
they think kictanet can be a big vendetta machine driven by established
groupings who pre-agree attacks on individuals and agree to prop up others.
These individuals you can call fearful lurkers.  My view is that they are a
substantial group.

kictanet has improved a lot in recent months and continues to be an
important forum.

We need to get wider opinion and so move the platform onto wider areas,
Facebook, twitter, a public blog. It will not take away the controversy but
it will get us fresh ideas as well. we need to drive up the numbers.

As an example, I don't allow my staff to post any official comments on this
forum. we hardly get contributions from the leading technology voices. we
learn more things outside this forum. The #140Friday meetings and
discussions are taking place outside this forum. The Connected Kenya summit
attended by over 400 people this year was highly successful and not
discussed here. The CIO forum in South Africa that I have just attended,
The global meeting on Open Government. The moderator should be given
information that feeds discussion and information. The list format does not
work for all information types and it is time to put this on a portal.

A few more facts on IBM to enrich the substantive discussion.

   1. IBM is now primarily a services company (
   http://www.ibm.com/annualreport/2011/ghv/). In 2000 the revenue
   composition was 35% Hardware/Financing, 38% Services, 27% Software. in 2011
   it was 16% Hardware/Financing, 41% Services, and 44% Software. Big change
   of strategy over the years that saw it dispose of its desktop business to
   Lenovo during that period. Anyone ever read their former CEO's book "who
   said elephants can't dance?" about their shift of strategy from hardware to
   consulting and services as a long term strategy.
   2. 2011 revenue was 110 USD Billion and it had grown 10 consecutive
   years.
   3. If anyone can remember, last year, Warren Buffet the world's leading
   investor bought IBM stock, his first technology stocks ever.
   4. Of particular note is how some of that growth is achieved. "the
   beginning of 2000, [IBM] have acquired 130 companies in strategic areas
   including analytics, cloud, security and Smarter Commerce. IBM expect to
   spend $20 billion in acquisitions over the 2015 Road Map period to support
   growth initiatives". This should excite well positioned Kenyan firms whose
   investors need an exit strategy.

As a matter of interest  there are certain other thematic areas that are
worth studying, tracking understanding as part of understanding this
sector. These discussions can enrich a list of this nature

   1. How Kenyan Telco companies make strategic shifts in a market in which
   voice revenues will continue to be less significant.
   2. Apple's history and its impact on the whole tech sector. Steve Jobs
   Biography is an excellent read in this respect.
   3. How Yahoo which pioneered the search sector will manage its current
   turnaround.
   4. how HP another global giant will manage is strategic issues in the
   context of its announcement by the immediate past CEO that it would sell of
   its hardware business.
   5. How our emerging tech business leaders (Seven Seas, Cellulant,
   Alliance technologies, Verve, Kencall, Pespal,Ushahidi to name a few )
   drive their growth, develop strategy and the role of venture capital and
   the supporting ecosystem. and their relationship to multinationals and the
   more relatively established older tech companies (Copy Cat, Technology
   Associates, Lantech, Symphony, Fintec, Jamii).
   6. The role of regional opportunity, south Africa (partnerships,JV),
   East Africa,( markets growth, scale)  West Africa (Huge market). etc

Part of positioning a country is business owners alignment to opportunity.

These sorts of discussions are certainly value adding

asante

Paul Kukubo
Chief Executive Officer, Kenya ICT Board
PO Box 27150 - 00100
Nairobi, Kenya

12th Floor, Teleposta Towers Koinange Street

Tel +254 20 2089061, +254 20 2211960
Fax: +254 20 2211962
website: www.ict.go.ke
local content project: www.tandaa.co.ke, www.facebook.com/tandaakenya
twitter:@tandaaKENYA
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Digital Villages Project: www.pasha.co.ke

personal contacts
_______________

Cell: + 254 717 180001

skype: kukubopaul
googletalk: pkukubo
personal blog: www.paulkukubo.co.ke
personal twitter: @pkukubo

____________________
Vision: Kenya becomes a top ten global ICT hub

Mission: To champion and actively enable Kenya to adopt and exploit ICT,
through promotion of partnerships, investments and infrastructure growth
for socio economic enrichment

On Fri, Apr 20, 2012 at 9:55 AM, <dmbuvi at gmail.com> wrote:

> There is sarcasm and irony. When it gets used in public , majority don't
> get it. Where did our literature teachers fail ?
>
> Many have been saying IBM is dead, and this prompted Yawe to post an
> article that shows this is far from the truth , though using the popular
> thought , IBM is dead.
>
> The reactions in this list are similar to the many amusing and angry
> letters that follow many a Kwamchetsi Makokha's piece .
>
> Sent from my BlackBerry®
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack at gmail.com>
> Sender: kictanet-bounces+dmbuvi=gmail.com at lists.kictanet.or.keDate: Fri,
> 20 Apr 2012 07:17:35
> To: Dennis Kioko Mbuvi<dmbuvi at gmail.com>
> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> Subject: Re: [kictanet] IBM is dead!
>
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> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
>
> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth,
> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
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