BY DR FARAI CHIGORA
As the curtain of the home-grown PEOPLE model finally touches down, having run a seven-week long relay, there is no better conclusive engagement than attending to the last component of the model — Education. Wherein, we can argue about many things under many circumstances, yet there is no doubt that education is a transformational tool for good in general and for the entrepreneurial craft specifically in African localities and the global spheres. Simply put, if the PEOPLE model was a hardware establishment, then education would be the competitive software that propels the turbines of the establishment forward. It is a globally proven fact that SMEs have been on record for failing due to lack of the much needed expertise to attend to both the business challenges and opportunities for now and the future. These challenges include, but are not limited to matters of finance, marketing, ICT and general management.
A deep dive into the both experimental and non-experimental education unlocks an endless chain of innovations, discoveries and inventions as it establishes the basis of critical thinking and new ways of seen things and phenomena. To this extent the government and other related bodies need to reconfigure this education into a practice rather than theoretical simulations. There is need for re-thinking education as the new centre upon which entrepreneurship will evolve and be at the centre of new product innovation and inventions rather than cramming theories and bodies of knowledge from the west and trying to do a cut and paste in Zimbabwe. This is a long-term approach, which should coalesce all the stakeholders to invest in such an approach to drive continued success and ensure that it finds a place in the value chain. A composite of research and innovation has proven to be a driver for successful industrialisation not forgoing matters of community engagement. It is, therefore, imperative to balance these matters through education for a lasting solution to the entrepreneurial challenges. As promising and upcoming business there is need to drive towards globalised search for new challenges, yet respond through localised indigenous knowledge practises. The real fact being that change has proven to be constant. Needs and tastes of the customers have proven to be an ongoing revolution across all sectors. It calls for a magnified mind-set that goes ahead of these changes. Engaging in various local and international expos has proven to be a start of this learning. This is progress in the sense that entrepreneurs will learn from the best (education through exchange) and emerge with tools of thinking towards unique value proposition for local industries. Here the owner creates real partnerships and configure his/her mind-set as a mobile innovation hub. These are even more than matters of marketing where networking will escalate brand recognition for real awareness. Also this goes into a methodological way of doing business which is beyond a pen and paper in exploration, experimenting and creation of proudly Zimbabwe/Africa products and services that meet international quality demands. There is a cavity in this dimension as many start-up are born as an imitation rather than an innovation. Education helps one to find a lucrative niche through uniqueness rather than reinventing failure. That is the reason why failing has become an avalanche due to everyone doing the same thing repeatedly.
Yet the financing of such an education shift and investment in research and innovation remains elusive to this day in the operation of our start-ups. This is when one learns where real harvest can be attained as the adage goes “you reap what you sow”.
there is need to invite concepts of real money through learned sources of capital venture, fund management and investment management. All these come with real scripts into a mindful walk of the Asian Tigers, the Wall Street, the Dubai, Qatar of how sustainable growth is built inside-out. Moving with trending stock markets are central issues into sustainable funding of businesses rather than a corridor focus into personal bank account. There is a need to think big for a bigger shareholding and financial capacitation.
Another contemporary view to global business education is technological adoption and practice which has seen a million of investment and development across the globe. It is not only about the Internet of Things but goes beyond into Enterprises Resource Planning (ERP) which has made tremendous integrated outcomes in all aspects of real business. This form of education builds tangible deliverables through connecting the otherwise invisible dots by simulations and projected reality. Specifically now in the advent of digital marketing, fuzzy logics and business intelligence. Our start-ups are still to appreciate this new dawn yet the world has gone generations ahead. A Silicon Valley model of formation should be the midpoint of our industrial parks. It comes with its lasting benefits of not only improved efficiency but connecting with the world into the space and mars. Management remains a science and that is supported and enhanced through continuous education yet many of our entrepreneurs think of management as more umbilical than learned. Issues to do with structuring, selling and investment are greatly a matter of management.
Education, therefore, comes as a driving force in the making of thriving business through the PEOPLE model and should be considered as both gearing the organisation forward and sustaining its acceleration to the future. There is need to debunk the previous mind-set were an education was considered for employment yet it can drive and position this home-grown model towards entrepreneurship and industrialisation. Of course, the powers that be have extended a long hand in developing policies and statutes in this drive, but there is a great need for engagement and consensus with the beneficiaries towards vision 2030 and beyond. The Education 5.0 is such a transformative drive that should be further supported by real investment and walking the talk. In such:
Real innovation hubs
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These should be a reality of transformation rather than a reflection of what should be. There is need to house industrialisation through properly equipping innovation hubs rather than just buildings. These should be open for experiments by the public, budding entrepreneurs, academics and members of the public. Mostly they should talk innovation through real equipment, skill development and conceptualisation.
Communal education co-operatives
There is need to engage in social capital through joint efforts for enterprising education. Those with the skills should lead communal educational activities periodically most through well-supported Public Private Partnerships (PPP). We have our accountants, engineers, doctors and so forth let them be engaged in this drive for industrialisation.
Mentorship mind-set
It is a kind request to our technocrats and industrialists, those who have made it to the top in various sectors to mentor other aspiring start-ups.
Vocational trainings approach
This should be promoted further to inform on the undisputable benefits of these setups. Instead of having a hierarchical formalisation of education for enterprising should be open for all at any stage in life.
Localised formulas
Of course, being global needs a global appreciation of education.
- Dr Farai Chigora is a businessman and academic. He is the head of Business Science at the Africa University’s College of Business, Peace, Leadership and Governance. His Doctoral research focused on Business administration (Destination marketing and branding major, Ukzn, SA). He can be contacted for feedback at [email protected], WhatsApp mobile: +263772886871.
