Marking its 30th edition this year, the IMD World Competitiveness Rankings emphasize a long-term trend highlighted in past editions – that the countries on the top of the list each have a unique approach to becoming competitive. The top five most competitive economies in the world remain the same as in the previous year, but their order changes. The United States returns to the first spot, followed by Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The United States improves three positions from last year while Hong Kong drops one spot and Singapore remains 3rd. The return of the United States…
Author: NBM CORRESPONDENT
BY KENYATTA OTIENO In December 2017, Kiambu County Assembly passed a Bill compelling all institutions in the county to employ 70% Kiambu residents. Before the by-law was passed, political leaders in Kiambu were reported pushing for the County Assembly to hire locally the heads of institutions of higher learning in the county. The motivation behind these sentiments and Bill is some kind of Kiambu nationalism based on hogging opportunities for locals even in universal institutions like universities. This attitude is a wrong interpretation of the spirit of Devolution. Uasin Gishu governor Jackson Mandago led a team a while back in…
BY SHADRACK MUYESU Considering the industries it sustains, isn’t it time information was considered a factor of production on its own? Take the law for instance. For many years, lawyers preyed on the ignorance of the layperson that was not able to access the information they needed because it exited in complex jargon only lawyers could interpret. A lawyer in his robe was a marvel. He was literally a depository of knowledge whose wisdom was necessary for completing the simplest of transactions and determining the smallest dispute. To amplify Lord Justice Denning, they were the law. Beyond determining the law,…
BY VICTOR ADAR Imagine your computer going off and you get into problems because you are unable to check out important emails. Or you have just called customer care to sort out some issues only to get disconnected simply because power went off. In many cases, this gets you into serious trouble. You could lose business. Power solutions company, Delta Electronics, is one of the pioneers trying to ensure all should go well regardless of power disruption. The energy-saving solutions provider with competencies in power electronics and innovative research and development whose business domains include power electronics, automation, and infrastructure…
BY MOHAMED AHMED It’s a grey Friday evening and you receive a cold call that your business is being discussed online. Instant reaction is “awesome”, but first things first. You need to ascertain whether the publicity being referred to is negative or positive. Expectedly, in this digital era where information reaches a big number in a few mouse clicks thanks to digital platforms like Google, and sharing buttons available on social media portals like Facebook and Twitter, you think twice. What if it is negative publicity that spread in split seconds? Although bad publicity is a real pain to businesses…
By Dustin Homer It’s well known in the logistics and supply chain game that the last mile of a shipment’s journey is inevitably the most expensive – possibly accounting for over 50% of total delivery costs, according to a 2016 report by McKinsey. Now imagine that last mile is in Africa. It may very well be a pot-holed dirt road, set in the middle of one of the continent’s many informal, low income areas, where even a ballpark guesstimate of consumer demand is incredibly hard to come by. Many companies are already pushing their products into these emerging markets, yet…
BY SAM CHAPPATTE E-commerce in Kenya has experienced rapid growth in recent years. This provides a unique growth opportunity for local businesses and in turn to create employment and support the government’s Big Four Agenda. We expect e-commerce sales to grow 10x in value terms over the next four to five years (vs 2017). This may sound aggressive, but it’s based on a conservative benchmark of how the industry has evolved in other parts of the world. Today, only 0.5% of retail takes place online in Kenya. Compare this to 23% in China, 17% in the UK, 8% in the…
Manchester Airport has secured a landmark route into the heart of Africa, underlining its pivotal role in connecting the North to the world’s most important markets. Ethiopian Airlines last month confirmed it will operate a four-times-a-week service to Addis Ababa, the East African nation’s capital. The route will unlock connections to more than 58 countries across the African continent. Ethiopian, which flies to more destinations in Africa than any other carrier, will operate the ultramodern B-787 on the route with business and economy classes. It will serve as a key trade route for Northern businesses, opening up fresh export opportunities…
BY JOSEPHINE WAWIRA More than often we shelve our travel plans due to the idea of how many expenses we must put up with. From booking ‘expensive’ flights to staying at ‘unaffordable’ hotels and having to deal with unanticipated outlays is absolutely something we need to cushion by making smart money moves. How long have you been stalling that hike to the enthralling Mt Longonot? Or a chilled beach holiday in Diani? Or perhaps a road trip across Africa? But every time you look at your bank account balance the comeback is RIP TRAVELING! The question you must be asking…
Christ is the Answer Ministry (CITAM) – formerly Nairobi Pentecostal Church – has launched services on YouTube and its website to draw Generation Z into its congregation, as an age group that now makes up 46 % of the country’s population, but which is not attending church. The new CITAM church online service is already reaching over 1,200 YouTube subscribers, with 157 motivational and biblical videos posted by CITAM’s bishop, pastors, reverends, and guest speakers that have achieved over 70,205 views in under 3 months – thanks to the church’s new MPLS-based Wide Area Network, installed by Liquid Telecom Kenya…