On 6/20/11, Watson Kambo <
wkwats@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello All,
>
> Innovation ?? I will agree with all of you, in the Kenyan perspective most
> of us have given up, first coz the policy makers are still in a 'slave mode'
> in this mode you were raised 'poor', most of us were and if not poverty was
> all over, and now you have 'cheo', a good job and so the only way to ensure
> you do not go back to poverty is to steal as much wealth and thus make sure
> all your kids do not grow up to be poor, or you are in a comfort zone where
> you can afford stuff and your kids will of-course go to nice schools hence
> you are assured they will be fine. When I say poor those of us who have been
> in abroad know what am talking about, systems that work. This mentality is
> what is killing us, when you and I get to a point where you can afford most
> things including health abroad then that's the end.
>
> This is the reason no one cares if we have hunger in the country, you can
> afford Petrol at 130 KSH !!! so how about unga, so solution to this import
> Maize ... We now have some policy that will take some time to work,
> Irrigation, but again who is to implement this, the guy in Turkana ?? NO he
> has no money... So are we innovative? maybe we are, but we are in the
> comfort zone ( the ones who should ) and the others are too poor.
>
> The other is poor policy, take the example of the traffic issue, do we
> really need IBM to do this?? nope we could I bet any University tech student
> can do this, Mix Computer science students to handle the programming part,
> Electrical eng to handle the electronics and signaling, Mech
> for structural etc I mean this is what they do in those EU countries, for
> 'small' projects.. but think about it you are the Mayor,Town Clerk, Minister
> etc would you give a local company, leave alone the students this job? NO
> why you need to 'eat' and you think they will do a shordy job
> and ethnicity will be thrown in, so will be politics and a big hullabo and
> ofcorse the population will not think a good job was done so push it to a
> big multinational firm which will charge a fortune and you all know what
> happens,,, Lamu port Feasibility.... really Japan had to do this ???
>
> So Aki are we innovative, Yes and no, is govt policy good? Yes but the
> leaders do not not care they do not want to be poor again so they are
> corrupt, the rich are comfortable, middle class can afford Ipods at the
> moment, and the poor well, you need money to actualize the innovation, and
> so everyone gave up in their own way. I wont write off every one though I
> have to acknowledge some of our products, MPESA, MFarm etc I think they are
> quite good.
>
> Oh Gisho... :-) HHO theory is rubbish :-) ... first law of Physics you
> cannot create energy what you are proposing is like chaining a Motor to a
> Generator, efficiency comes in more so the amount of energy used will still
> be available.... Dude think of a Hybrid ....
>
> Me thots ...
>
>
> Watson kambo
>
> On 20 June 2011 12:07, aki <
aki275@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> @David, pls find my amatuer comments inline. :-)
>>
>> On Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 11:25 AM, David Kiania | Asentric Consulting Ltd <
>>
kianiadee@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Aki,
>>>
>>> In the EU video the whole notion of innovation as 'turning ideas into
>>> money' is wrong. There are plenty of innovations that don't have
>>> direct monetary value but greatly change the way people work, saving
>>> time and effort.
>>>
>>
>> Absolutely agree with you, and also add that level of creativity can only
>> come when people have enough to sustain a basic lifestyle. That failed
>> economic polices are the reason that most in developing countries will
>> only
>> innovate pegged to financial returns. They have no other options.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>
>>> Even the EU can't tell Africa what innovation is or what they ought to
>>> do, our greatest innovations must be in the largest areas of need ...
>>> food, jobs for all and dealing with disease. We need to localize our
>>> solutions, I am very encouraged to see people in Tharaka and Gatanga
>>> tapping into local rivers/streams to generate electricity. Is that
>>> innovation?
>>>
>>
>>
>> Fully agreed on this and that the EU was an example, and thus the need for
>> local govts to set examples of innovation. For those who self powered
>> using
>> rivers etc are only doing it at a very local level, and that power
>> generated
>> does not contribute to the national grid except fix a local problem. When
>> govt projects that affect National Interests, growth and job creations,
>> then
>> it becomes very different.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>
>>> TED issues aside, government has a role and in the case of Lockheed
>>> Martin, they were contracted to build defense systems during cold war
>>> and could not trust any other company outside the US.
>>>
>>
>>
>> Basically developing govts need to understand that we are at war with
>> anything that seeks to replicate creativity and innovation. And this war
>> can
>> only suceed if the right polices are in place. With more than 40 years of
>> independence across the continent, we should have by now had parallel
>> programs that look at saving on literally billions lost through foreign
>> exchange as a start.
>>
>>
>>
>>> Again if you know everything you produce will be taken up by your one
>>> and only customer (govt of the US) how much innovation is there? You
>>> are approaching this from a very academic angle, innovators don't need
>>> permission or policy from government to come up with new or improved
>>> stuff they just do.
>>>
>>
>>
>> - The US govt had very specifc requirements for what armaments and
>> technologies were needed, thus the innovation was not limited. How much of
>> what we do today, especially in electronic communications, is derived from
>> the space industry. You name it, and its all there. From atomic clocks,
>> vsat
>> systems to long range radios. And all these led to formations of companies
>> that could deliver on requirements and finally leading to the consumer
>> market. Listen to what the Lady EU commission said about Research to
>> Retail
>> in the EU clip.She is 100% spot on and know what she is talking about.
>>
>> To really help you understand the problem, please consider this:
>>
>> The winner at Pivot25 was MedAfrica, which had a proper concept and
>> rollout. Now they need *money* to make the innovation work. What should
>> they do to grow and make a significant impact ? Wait 12-24months in the
>> hope
>> of VC funding or dig into their own pockets to sustain an innovative idea
>> until success?
>>
>>
>> Rgds. :-)
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
>
> --
> Watson Kambo
>