Can Business Be Effectively Safeguarded from the Ever Volatile Competitive Forces?

In 2005, I conducted an International research on SME or Entrepreneurship Growth in Nairobi. The same was based on a case study of the experiences of members of a business club belonging to one of the leading banks.  In May 2006, I was invited to  present the research findings, in an international entrepreneurship conference, whose theme was “Fostering SMEs and Entrepreneurship in Africa,” which I did.

Finally, the research was published in the Business in Africa Journal of July 2007. Alongside, I worked on an entrepreneurship development  program that was sponsored and supervised by a local lending arm of the World Bank.  Unknown to me,  I had been noticed by the concerned staff.  So, when the bank that I had researched on their business club contacted the World Bank arm for an expert on their area of need, they were promptly referred to me.

During this arrangement of 2006,  I was  severally engaged to train the same entrepreneurs that I had researched on. The points of focus were coincidentally the same challenges that had been established through my research. Interestingly, not much has changed ever since, as has continuously been experienced over the years. The same challenges continue being brought out especially during training/consulting for numerous organizations, some of which have grown from small ventures to corporate entrepreneurships.

Meanwhile, two challenges featured very prominently as the key inhibitors to business growth. The first one cited by most respondents is financial or working capital challenges. Indeed, this has been presumed to have prohibited many businesses from achieving fast growth and especially unleashing their full potential. Ironically, some businesses may never have required bank borrowings unless in support of expansion projects.  Yet, others have ended up borrowing from the banks even when the returns may not support banking facilities. The eventuality is delayed transition through the business cycle – or just buying time.

Competition is the next most highlighted of the prominent challenges that affect business growth. That has been cited commonly in various sectors of the global economy. The challenge is even worse in situations where people conduct similar businesses, sometimes differentiated only by financial might and/or business location- the former contributes to spiraling growth of the financial sector.

More still, the forces of competition are highly volatile. Stringent measures are put in place to segment, strategize on this and that but seemingly, no efforts are ever enough to bring about the desired growth. Moreover, it is not always easy for different stakeholders to profile these forces of competition and deal with each at a time. Sometimes, a business that is stable today could be very unstable in only a few months or even weeks. This is so because all players are at work strategizing on how to fight these forces of change.

Each player fights these forces in his/her own way. Some are in line with established business principles, whereas others are not. Some are short-term whereas others are sustainable into the future. But, does business have go through all this volatility?

Ideally, no strategy can last indefinitely no matter how good. This means that there is little or no room for complacency in business. But, these forces of competition need not cause sleepless nights for ever. Experience has continually proven that business growth solutions can be customized for any business wishing to constantly put the forces of change in check, thus ensuring constant progress. In our case, SME Business Growth/Market Penetration Strategies are soundly boosted by additional competencies which include but are not limited to:-

• Strategic Planning Workshops ( Corporate Strategies)
• Organizational Culture Change Training/consulting  Solutions
• Holistic performance enhancement and training solutions
• Management/Leadership development    solutions

It pays not to leave the growth of your business to chance. Instead, safeguard it from the volatile forces of change through Innovative Training/Consulting solutions on Market Penetration/Business Growth Strategies and more.

See (i) the published version of the said research  as uploaded @ INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE- Published Version of the 2005 Research on Global Development of SMEs

ii) An inspiring article based on  consulting encounter with a business Club member as uploaded @ Oct 5th 2010 – Great Opportunities Lie in Challenges

Meanwhile, our mentoring and other learning and development solutions continue inspiring positive change and are outlined @ Newtimes Business Start-Up Mentoring Program and Annual Training Calender

CALL TO ACTION

Newtimes Organizational Culture Meter

You can now apply the Newtimes Organizational Culture Meter that helps organizations to evaluate their prevailing culture, especially in line with the dynamics of the 21^st century global organizations. If YES answers (about your organization) overwhelm the NO answers as outlined below, then they could signal Inevitable and Urgent Need for Revamping of Organizational Culture. These signals may include:-

1. Command and control system is the main regulator of organizational behavior? YES/NO
2. Disconnection – challenged employee attitudes towards organizational interests? YES/NO
3. Frequent threats of strikes and go slows?YES/NO
4. Repeated demands for salary increases? YES/NO
5. Increases in staff turnover? YES/NO
6. Recurrent conflicts amongst staff and their bosses too? YES/NO
7. Challenges attributable to delegation of organizational roles? YES/NO
8. Money is perceived as the key driver of employee performance? YES/NO
9. Common absenteeism and tardiness of previously reliable team members? YES/NO
10. Haba na haba organizational syndrome – Recurring Training needs on most behavioral skills? YES/NO

None of these signals contributes positively to organizational growth and progress. When allowed to persist, organizations may easily transit through the 5 stages of the business/brand or product cycle. Alternatively, they may end up just stagnating before being rescued from the forces of change. Should that be allowed to happen?

You can contact us for fast and holistic organizational Change/employee re-branding solutions that yield new high impact performance cycles, capable of ably guiding or reinforcing organizational strategic direction. By the way, the solutions  are not only well tested, but also aligned with the 21st Century global organizational culture.

You are also welcome for our unique and well tested STRATEGIC PLAN FORMULATION solutions, which apply to all types and sizes of organizations.