Stakeholder Recipients and Responses

(Key Stakeholders)

Our target stakeholders have been those responsible for providing an enabling framework for industrial growth and development primarily. The informal, small and medium scale entrepreneurs constitute beneficiaries to be uplifted to some reasonable levels of performance, in a setting tuned in line with modern expectations for a young upcoming nation in manufacturing. Nonetheless, it is our considered opinion that, in a highly analytical publication, only leaders of entrepreneurs should be expected to keep abreast with the material content, and, there remains a need for a forum at commensurate level for the larger numbers amongst them.

(Circulation To-Date)

Past issues have been sent to top civil servants, some particularly relevant and responsive departments, politicians, statutory organisations, utility companies, engineering fraternity and academia to mention but a few. Depending on the focal areas, more directly concerned parties have been addressed. A case in point is in the April 2004 issue that discussed the 'impact of interest rates on borrowing by industrial concerns' that was shared with the banking fraternity. More specifically, there was also an attempt to seek audience with financial gurus in the relevant institutions such as the responsible ministry. This has generally been the practice rather than the exception.

I think it also needs to be said, that only a small fraction of parties in the very wide scope of activities have been reached to date, owing to several limitations, cardinal amongst which is the short lifetime of this effort to-date. As we proceed, it is our sincere hope that we will cover more ground. An example is the important area of current practices in industries vis-a-vis matters relating to the environment.

(Government)

On their part, some high-ranking government officials have recognised that Business Services Primer has an important role to play. Indeed, some have expressed the need for a high reading culture. Some top civil servants have responded with words of encouragement, recognising the value added through the publication.

Some ministries have in fact provided documents for sourcing material for articles, a number of which have appeared in our recent issues.

(Statutory Organisations)

Likewise, words of encouragement have been received from such organisations as the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS). A number of them have also promised to contribute articles and place pertinent adverts in the near future.

(Academia)

Main recipients in the educational institutions category have been the Faculty of Technology (FoT) and Department of Agricultural Engineering (DAE), Faculty of Agriculture in Makerere University. The Agricultural Engineering Appropriate Technology Research Institute (AEATRI) under the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) along with DAE have in fact provided material for the issue that focussed on agricultural mechanisation in March, 2004.

(Informal, Micro and Small Enterprises)

Through the Uganda Small Scale Industries Association (USSIA), entrepreneurs have been supplied with a substantial number of copies for every issue, and it is through this umbrella organisation that the Informal, Micro and Small Enterprise National Co-ordination Committee (IMSENCC) has written to request that Business Services Primer also writes appropriate articles to be published in their quarterly newsletter. They also felt that support is desired in dialogue with government in charting the way forward.

(Large Industrial Concerns)

Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) has also been supplied with a sizable number of copies for every print, again targeted for their sub-committees and other leaders. Apart from these, a number of other large companies and organisations such as Shell Uganda have been receiving this publication. The authors wish to express gratitude to those companies that have shared their views on the exercise, and in some instances, expressed willingness to support this effort.

(Other Categories)

Amongst other groups have been professional bodies of engineers, some regional institutions like East African Community (EAC) headquarters in Arusha, East African Development Bank (EADB) headquarters in Kampala, missions, donor agencies and some international organisations. Save for EAC in Arusha, recipients beyond our borders have been sent electronic mail versions, as and when it has been possible. . Unfortunately, due to high instance of unwanted mail, many recipients of electronic versions may often simply delete our publications. This goes to show the need for a website, not to mention the several advantages it offers.

(Overall Response)

Many including the line ministry, MTTI, have welcomed the idea. Views have been expressed to the effect that, the publication is timely and is serving a useful purpose. Many have wondered whether there ought to be another level for the small-scale / informal entrepreneur. My quick response is that there is need for contribution of articles to IMSENCC as well as others on a case by case basis as was requested.

(Need for Regional Outlook)

Cast against a background of increasing regional integration, many feel that Business Services Primer ought to start to operate on a wider base, starting in EAC states, possibly spreading out with time, especially to adjacent states with which trade is substantial.

Other advocates are those in categories providing regional services, viewing Business Services Primer as a conduit for dissemination of information, comparative analysis, and such other services as joint planning and service provision. This need would best be addressed through easy access to information from geographic areas under consideration.

Already, state and regional efforts have been embraced in the making of long-term plans and strategies. A case in point is in respect of the industrialisation strategy, the last effort having come out in the year 2000. Several other activities are in planning, in various sectors such as energy in respect of necessary hydropower generation to mitigate 'greenhouse effect' of emissions, extension of the Mombasa - Eldoret pipeline to Kampala and beyond, to mention but a few.

With global trends to create larger regional groupings, the East Africa region will not be an exception as we also need to take full advantage of economies of scale that come with bigger entities.

This of necessity implies that the Uganda operation to-date may indeed be looked at as a seed with high potential to sprout into a fully-fledged regional effort in future.

(Level and Form of Publication Versus Target Audience)

In our setting as a young nation in technological prowess, there are inadequacies in services available, and, admittedly, this is both in terms of both potential providers and recipients. Providers are often limited in the variety of capabilities and numbers, while recipients have different backgrounds and capabilities.

Given a situation of limited service potential versus a greater need at the end-user level than in many more advanced regions, an attempt needs to be made to provide a 'limited service with a view to contribute to improving the plight of many rather than focussing on a few'. This may be considered as our motivation for the service we anticipate to put in place.

(Target Audience)

In determining the target audience, it is appropriate to take a holistic view of 'how best to achieve the set objectives', bearing in mind that other complimentary forums may not be adequate. Against such a background, the following categories may need to be addressed:

It may be said that there are several linkages with different role players for each of the categories. As an example, policymakers may comprise of officials from line ministries; statutory organisations as Uganda National Bureau of Standards; Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (UEDCL); industrial chemists from research institutions; cement manufacturers and traders if one were drafting a policy on cement exploitation, production and/or trade. What needs to be realised is that, depending on the purpose, the requisite expertise can vary widely.

While people in the import/export business may have expertise in marketing/commerce, others are likely to have different backgrounds, yet it is sometimes essential to be able to communicate to all of them, using resource persons with a variety of backgrounds. This shows the need for flexibility in scope and level of theoretical content, depending on the situation. We however need to say that while flexibility is desirable, it is not likely that one can tailor a service to address the needs of all.

(Tiers of Publication: Print vs Electronic)

Two major media categories can be anticipated, one conventional, 'hard copies'/print, and, 'electronic'. For several reasons, the conventional one will remain dominant in our setting, although many organisations now have what is known as 'networks', where computers are linked and information in 'electronic' format can be shared by many users on the network, beside 'electronic forms'.

[Print]

The conventional print mode is probably the only way to go for sometime at the informal and micro enterprise level, beside radio and television. For our purposes, we will stick largely to the print media, only mentioning the existing of a project by the name of 'FIT- SEMA', where SEMA is for Small Enterprise Media in Africa, with 'FIT' as another acronym for a project we need not mention here. Briefly, FIT-SEMA seeks to enhance delivery of messages through radio communication to the cited entrepreneurial groups, executed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), under Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) funding.

The following categories are anticipated, although higher levels can effectively be reached by the electronic option:

Other options that will remain will include but not be limited to:

[Electronic]

Under electronic, it is our intention and hope that we shall soon open a website, currently under design, tentatively to be inaugurated end of June 2004. From inception of the publication, we have used the electronic mail option to reach many in the country, and, most beyond our borders. In the ensuing part, we mention how we intend to operate.

On the website, we plan to use what is known as an 'on-line' facility, where subscribers will 'log on' to view the entire service provided. Other 'visitors' will have access to some of the services, with an option to upgrade to the full range access on choosing to subscribe.

The website is intended to provide the following:

The electronic mail option will still be available for largely 'odd' or 'one-off' communication.

(Implications)

In a nutshell, the following scope of publications is anticipated, depending on need, resources and the like: