[kictanet] KIRDI in onslaught of local products - re Jua Kali

[Ali Hussein]

On the Mark Matunda. 

Ali Hussein

+254 773/713 601113

Sent from my iPhone®

On Jul 28, 2012, at 5:15 PM, Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama at aganoconsulting.com> wrote:

> Ali Hussein
> 
> You are right on the mark.
> 
> The fact is that this is not a simple, one-shot solution matter. It is multifaceted.
> 
> In Japan, for example, those who source, set quality standards and actively work with the suppliers to ensure that those standards are met. The manufacturing system, for instance, works like a well-oiled ecosystem where each party understands its collective responsibility to the whole. Thus if I am manufacturing nuts and bolts that would be used in some sub-assembly which in turn would be used in some major assembly, my task is  to ensure that I meet quality targets of those who buy from me; ditto for the next level, ... The pressure to meet my buyer targets would assure continuous improvement which otherwise wouldn't happen if nobody is buying from me nor imposing quality/improvement standards ...
> 
> On branding, Japanese products long continue to enjoy market share due to the brand image they built around utility, quality and reliability. Indeed, even as others have closed the gaps on these aspects, Japanese products continue to reap benefits ahead of their competitors, be it electronics, automobile, aircraft parts/engines, etc.
> 
> Back to your point that not all is lost: well, over in the West, Kenya's image soars when one talks of M-PESA, innovations in the mobile telecom sector, ... and many more as in digital media, advertizing, ... 
> 
> There is plenty of hope and anticipation; we just need to replicate some of these successes in other sectors through efforts such as bootstrapping our Jua Kali.
>  
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Matunda Nyanchama, PhD, CISSP; mnyanchama at aganoconsulting.com
> Agano Consulting Inc.;  www.aganoconsulting.com; Twitter: nmatunda;  Skype: okiambe
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Be prepared for ICT security failures & know how to respond when they happen! 
> Call: +1-888-587-1150 or info at aganoconsulting.com
>  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> "The best revenge is massive success" - Frank Sinatra
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> This e-mail, including attachments, may be privileged and may contain confidential or proprietary information intended only for the addressee(s). Any other distribution, copying, use, or disclosure is unauthorized and strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and permanently delete the message, including any attachments, without making a copy. Thank you.
> 
> From: Ali Hussein <ali at hussein.me.ke>
> To: Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama at aganoconsulting.com> 
> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> 
> Sent: Saturday, July 28, 2012 9:48 AM
> Subject: Re: [kictanet] KIRDI in onslaught of local products - re Jua Kali
> 
> Good people 
> 
> Don't despair... I can confirm that there is a definite movement to promote Kenyan. What Matunda has said is obviously still true but it's not universal anymore. We even have our own local design labels that are doing well. Fundi Frank anyone? 
> 
> What we must however do is up our game in quality and service, it's not enough to just complain about our fetish for all things foreign. Apart from some of us suffering from an inferiority complex there are genuine reasons for why certain countries are known for certain quality products:-
> 
> 1. France for its wine
> 2. Germany for its engineering
> 3. Silicon Valley (note that I mention Silicon Valley not America) for its innovation 
> 4. East Africa for the Mara Migration and hopefully soon for our Tech Savvy with all things mobile...
> 
> This is about Branding and I don't  mean the advertising kind. I mean actually being good and known for what you do hence you acquire something of a synonymity with what you are good at. 
> 
> Can we do it? Of course we can. But it requires hard work..
> 
> Ali Hussein
> 
> +254 773/713 601113
> 
> Sent from my iPhone®
> 
> On Jul 28, 2012, at 3:37 PM, Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama at aganoconsulting.com> wrote:
> 
>> John
>> 
>> I hear you loudly and clearly. 
>> 
>> Back in the 1990s we used to get computer parts from Dubai, Malaysia and the like. On weekends, we converted our classroom to an assembly line, and created sufficient inventory for anticipated sales that week.
>> 
>> In one demonstration, I proudly talked about skills of our technicians to assemble and maintain computers. I didn't realize it was a turnoff for the client. "Computers made in Kenya!" he exclaimed and walked out saying he will come back to us. He never did and completely avoided our follow up. 
>> 
>> Long story short: one of my techies slapped a "Made in Canada" label on some of the machines and they were promptly snapped! (I have seen a similar streak in encounters in our ICT consulting and publishing business; but again ... what would be more typically Kenyan than this?)
>> 
>> Back to the present: how many ongoing projects in the country mandate minimum local content/participation? Example: what proportion of the Thika Road construction is mandated to be subcontracted to local firms (engineering design, construction, etc.). 
>> ...
>> Sorry, I could write an entire book on this demonstrating the truth that, as much as we target/blame others for failure we are equal participants and ... need to do our part.
>> 
>> Have a good weekend.
>>  
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> Matunda Nyanchama, PhD, CISSP; mnyanchama at aganoconsulting.com
>> Agano Consulting Inc.;  www.aganoconsulting.com; Twitter: nmatunda;  Skype: okiambe
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> Be prepared for ICT security failures & know how to respond when they happen! 
>> Call: +1-888-587-1150 or info at aganoconsulting.com
>>  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> "The best revenge is massive success" - Frank Sinatra
>> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> This e-mail, including attachments, may be privileged and may contain confidential or proprietary information intended only for the addressee(s). Any other distribution, copying, use, or disclosure is unauthorized and strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and permanently delete the message, including any attachments, without making a copy. Thank you.
>> 
>> From: John Kariuki <
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