Comments on: The Kenyan Corporate Executive: An Endangered Species

By: Tusker Baridi

Tusker Baridi — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 02:42:57 +0000

That’s so true KE, the most successful businesses are those boring mom and pop corner businesses like a laundrymat, food kiosk etc. Here’s why; the smartest and brightest chase after fancy businesses, so you have far too many smart people chasing after very few opportunities. But those boring businesses do not have as many smart and bright people, so if you happen to be the token smart and bright, you literally dont have competition and will thrive.

By: Maroa Matiko

Maroa Matiko — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 15:48:14 +0000

Great ideas guyz.

I concur with the author to a big percentage. I am Kenyan educated all through but prospecting to do a masters in US on VSATs and Telcoms.

Granted, I have been applying for job placing in many organizations but none seems to be interested in me ( am not very desperate tho) despte the fact that, honestly, I am an A student and all rounded( guess u get what I mean).

Now, my point is: I do have reservations that,( perhaps) in some cases, most of these job placements for the abroaded educated friends (perhaps)are below universal standard,yet are executed.

You like me, may have heard fake law degrees from India. That is not very impossible, right?

But the working environments, in most of the Kenyan corporates, is more often than not “unique”shocking and wanting than what they portend to be.

Imagine a scenario whereby you went at the reception at Safaricom and found reception managers chatting in vernacular. Way out of place. Takes a pretty amonut of time to stream such in a corporate, mind that you dont want to seem to have a tyrannical sort of approach!

Just a thought, tho

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:50:22 +0000

Yap, the corporate animal is becoming a very distinct and near extinct animal. That why me is a different species and creature, FREELANCER.

check my tribulations at kenyanfreelancer.blogspot.com

By: Sino Chinese

Sino Chinese — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:23:02 +0000

ke,

Well, I agree with what you’ve said. I think the educated NRK’s should not be afraid of competing with the western counterparts.

I always recommend NRK’S to get down and identify an area where you can pursue a business here in the west and pursue it.

There are many Indians in the west who have started from nothing and made hundreds of mullion of dollars and they started small. Of course their otherswho decided not to follow this path and are still working for a salary from an employer instead of being an employer and hiring.

I guess it depends on how much risk you are willing to take and how much you trust your business acumen.

I always get into arguments with my friends about which place is better for doing business and making more money(Kenya or US).

I find that in the US hard work and patience pays better than Kenya. But if you are the type that doesn’t like doing things straight Kenya might be the place for you.
What do you think ?

By: Kei O

Kei O — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:09:02 +0000

I think you are only referring to the big companies.

What about the small and medium sized companies? Incidentally, these are the type fo businesses that should receive support because they are the real drivers of the economy.

By: PKW

PKW — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 07:59:10 +0000

There is overemphasis on employment in Kenya, as in ‘someni vijana, baada ya kusoma mtapata kazi nzuri sana’. The opposite of what the 8-4-4 (=0?) should have been about, at least according to my History of Education in Kenya course at a public Uni in Kenya.