By Dr. Hildebrand ShayoHave you worked out your business in this recession?
You can’t predict the future, but you can learn from the past. Part of my curiosity as a true Tanzanian is to share with you my knowledge. I do recognize some of readers will always have some comments. Some on context, some on language, some on sentence structure etc.
nevertheless, my curiosity is to put all that understanding I have and everything I have learned while studying in Tanzanian institutions and from teaching, research, training, consultancies and from helping business and start-ups in the western world through decline before this one at the service of business.
You need to value your business if you want to be successful. That means, learning from your experiences in business, and being clear and honest with yourself about what you learn.
Look in wards and really try to understand yourself and what makes your business tick; it sounds clichéd, but you really do need to know your business in order to plan effectively, and deal with downturns.
Now what are the key drivers I have in mind? Understand your cost base-which ones are mission critical and which ones could be cut back should you fell the pinch?
In my view, understanding your business also means knowing your customers and most importantly, why they should buy from you and not someone else. After all, one thing you shouldn’t ignore is that your customers are also having a tough time.
So as a business entrepreneur put you’re self in their shoes; what would you do now, and what might make them buy, or continue to buy, from you? That also means understanding both your competitors and your price point, and working out what your unique selling point is. And if you don’t know what that is you better find out quickly.
Because if you don’t know your business well enough, the chances are other people do, and many take advantage.
Why should you carry out these exercises? In my view, it is all about the basics of the very best business practice-these are measures all business should take. However, in good times it is relatively easy to get away with fundamental mistakes.
Now the economy has taken a downturn, a lot of business is going to find it very difficult to adapt. So while you can’t always forecast a sudden drop in sales, you can always make sure you manage your cash smartly.
And that goes across the board: put into practice all the measures across your business, whether times are good right now or bad, that will put you in the strongest possible position to ride out a downturn like this.
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shayo mm namuona mashaka Kama vile anakuja na M16 hachana na AK47
ReplyDeleteSenene
jamani ujumbe mie niupata, lakini kwa lugha uliyowiva, hawa wataalamu nani zaidi kati yao . au nikunje suruali na mimi?
ReplyDeleteKWA KUPENDA KUUZA SURA TU,HUJAMBO ANYWAY THANX FOR THE TIP.
ReplyDeleteWhere have U dessaered this article? are U serious of wht you are writting or just to please and want people to se you. Whome are U advising? This time at least lugha umejitahidi au desa?
ReplyDeleteChief umetoa tips nzuri, lkn si ungeweza tu kuandika kwa kiswahili kaka? au unawalenga kina nani? Nimeona moja ya tip ni kuelewa walengwa, sasa kama walengwa wengi wanatumia kiswahili, basi nadhani kama we unaamini kile unachoongea, ungetumia kiswahili.
ReplyDeleteyou are right and your article is good, but why should you educate those who alredy knows. I mean why can't you use Swahili so that majority can read and understand.
ReplyDeleteimetulia hiyo
ReplyDeleteONYO:
ReplyDeleteWatanzania hii inakuwa ni kero kubwa na pia kuvuka mpaka sasa.
Sijui ni Usenene kupita kiasi wivu usiyo na mpaka au ni nini.
Ni kwa nini mtu hawezi ku contribute bila kutumia Jina la JoN Mashaka
Au ndio kila mtu atakuwa maarufu kwa dakika moja KWA kuandika jina lake?
Kila sehemu, ambapo kuna mwanya wa kutoa comments lazima mtu atamuandika Jon Mashaka. watu hawawezi kutoa comments bila kumtaja kaka wa Watu
Hata kwenye picha ya zeruzeru mtu anataja mimi siyo Jon Mashaka. Kama ni uwezo wa kufikiri, kama ni akili vyote ni vyake ambavyo Mungu ammembariki navyo.
Wachache sana, kama Bahati na Kilima ndio waliokuja na hoja za maana kuchangia, wengine wote wakina US Blogger ni Upupu na utumbo mtupu
Anachokifanya ni kuihamasisha jamii ya kitanzania siyo tu kifikra bali hata kwa vitendo. Inabidi tumuige na kumpa moyo badala ya wivu ambazo tunazionyesha
Vipaji vya kuandika, mibaraka ni kutoka kwa mwenyezi Mungu ambayo anayatumia kuwasaidia watanzania wenzake.
Kwa bahati jitihada chafu za baadhi yetu zinamzidishia umaarufu tu
Mwacheni kaka wa watu
MPINGA USENENE (LONDON)
Kaka Shayo inaelekea ulifaulu somo la Business Trategy, asante kwa maoni na endelea kutupa hints za kibiashara.Kwa mdau mdau wa London; mi nilifikiri watu watachangia mawazo ya kibiashara ambayo yatasaidia watu wenye biashara zao. Kinyume ni kwamba watu ni kutajana majina na kuitana SENENE! Hivi wabongo tukoje? mtu kachangia mawazo yake wewe unyaita UPUPU na UTUMBO, sasa hiyo minofu yako mbona hatuioni? Nimekushangaa we mpinga Usenene wa London unavyojitamba ni mpingaji kumbe na wewe umo.Kama mdau amemtaja mtu, na wewe unarudia kumtaja ina maana na wewe umemtaja. Mfano ni kusikia mtu anatukana, nawewe ukalirudia tusi kwa kujidai unamwonya mtu, pamoja na kumwonya umetukana vile vile! Tafadhali kama ni marathon hakikisha uko kwenye track
ReplyDeleteAM, Boston
Just a positive criticism: You have not managed to write in proper English. Your grammer and thought process does not impress me. How did you write your thesis with such poor thought process? Most importantly, where did you earn your doctorate?
ReplyDeleteHaya nafiri sasa tunaanza kuona matunda ya kumia mitandao kuelimisha umma. unajua watanzania tuliopata nafasi ya kuelewa mambo tungewasaidia wengi katika kujitayarishia maendeleo yao.
ReplyDeleteShayo endelea na moyo huo huo mpka kieleweke
Mwaka 2015 rudi tu ukamuondoe Mhe. Kimaro. tujenge nch kwa kuwa na mawazo kama haya. hii ndiyo faida ya mtandao
john mashaka juuuuuuuuuuuuuu oyeee
ReplyDeletejitoe basi picha yako nawe tukuone?
michuzi tunaomba profile ya dr shayo na mashaka,,,vijana wamebarikiwa,ingawa sijui km articles ni zao au desa ila naamini ni zao wenyewe "exclusive"
Dr. Shayo, you have very valid points and people need to know about how to survive in these tough times. I think the language is rather inferior compared to the rhetoric master; mashaka. good job, and i hope you guys can team up to fight corruption in tanzania. you have star power, and seemingly both of you are widely being accepted in the main stream society
ReplyDeletemdau UK
It's called freedom of expression, go look it up. And before i go, what is it with this guys article? If you are good enough bring your stuff in an open forum then we'll take note..
ReplyDeleteDoesn't Impress me much!I have to be frank with you Shayo.Your Business Advice or whatever it is,doesn't reflect a PhD expert advice!The advice is just too common place know what I mean?Wadanganyika hivi sasa wameamka mno for that kind of advice.We would have expected from you a much more spirited business counselling brother!Not that you can not write any better,not at all,Sir!Only that what you have strived to deliver ni MCHOSHO MTUPU BRADHA!May be if you try again tujue UK kumbe kuna material!Ee bwana mbona akiisoma Gordon Brown hii stuff yako hawezi kuamini kwamba uko Britain!aaah maumivu!
ReplyDeleteDr Shayo tunashukuru kwa kujitolea kwako kutuelimisha juu ya masuala ya biashara. Mimi si mtaalamu wa masuala ya biashara ,lakini baada ya kusoma mada yako napenda niungane na Anony wa Feb 5, 10:17am kwamba thought process haikuwa mwanana sana. Umeeleza maneno mengi sana kwa kuzunguka na kurudia, lakini kikubwa ilikuwa ni "Mtu anatakiwa aijue vyema biashara anayoifanya" na kingine kikubwa ni " vitu gani mtu atakiwa kuvifanya ili awepe kuifahamu biashara yake vyema 1..2..3...4"
ReplyDeleteYaani ingekuwa fupi nzuri ya ya kueleweka. Samahani kama ntakuwa nimekukera pamoja na wadau wengine, Lakini hii ni katika kukujenga, uischukie angalia kwanini watu wanasema hivyo.
Mdau Dar.
jamani watanzania wenzangu tena vijana mliokwenda shule; ni lini tuu mtaacha kufananisha watu? kwa nini na wewe usichangie hoja? unajua ukweli ni kuwa zile Siasa za kupeana hazitakuwepo tena bongo. Kidogo mwaka 2010 JK anaweza kupeta kwa vile ameamua kuwashughulikia mafisadi, japo wengine sisi tunaona ni kiini macho, ila kuja 2015 tutawapata viongozi mbali na vigezo watakavyotoa kwenye CV zao bali kwa kusaidwa na wagombea kwenye mitandao, hivyo shayo tumeshamuona na wengine tulikuwa naye JKT kule Oljoro...programme ya chama. Ni Mzalendo kwa kiwango chake.
ReplyDeleteJe Mashaka jeshi ulikuwa wapi? unafananaje? tungependa kuanza kukunadi, wewe ndiye mkombozi wetu 2015.
Dr Shayo,
ReplyDeleteI commend you for not only expressing yourself but giving a free a advise.
Now, I am sorry; I would be a critical just as anon 10:17 am. You have good ideas, but the language, style and flow of you ideas is rather vague and hard to follow.
I am having a hard time to believe you have more than 2 degrees. We all struggle when it comes to English, still we can learn how to arrange our thoughts thus make'em comprehensible.
mdau
Liverpool
Why Charter Communications is in the process to file for bankruptcy while Comcast is doing great?
ReplyDeleteWhy Verizon is doing great and Sprint is not?
I am asking Mr. Shayo to give his views.
What can Dar learn from Detroit economy?
What business are you in?
Shayo, are you talking about a business that operates in a vaccum?
ReplyDeleteingekuwa vizuri mtu ukiandika ukasema wewe ni nani na unafanya nini na wapi sio kusema tum Dr shayo sasa tunakuwa hatukuelewi vizuri, maana hata bongo kuna profesa maji marefu
ReplyDeleteWATU WANAMKANDIA ENGLISH NA KUMUULIZA ELIMU YA UDAKITARI ALIPATIA WAPI! THAT IS BUSHIT, ENGLISH HAPO IKO SAWA SAWA KABISA NA KINAELEWEKE NINI ANAZUNGUMZIA, HUYU KAMA SIKOSEI NI MWALIMU ANAFUNDISHA HAYA MAMBO KILA SIKU, NI VITU VYA KAWAIDA KWA WALE WATU WALIOSOMEA UGHAIBUNI HATA KAZI YA CHETI HIVI VITU WANAVIELEWA KABISA, MY PROFESSOR (HARVEY) KWA WALE WALIOSOMA VYUO AU UNI ZA UK WATAMFAHAMU HUYU ALIKUWA ANATUFUNDISHA EXACTLY DR SHAYO ANAVYOTUELEZA HAPA, AU KAMA UMESOMA BUSINESS STRATEGY, CUSTOMER SERVICES, CORPORATE STRATEGY HIVI VITU UTAKUWA UMEVIPITIA, WALA HAYUKO MBALI NA UKWELI, NAHISI HATA YULE MFANYABIASHARAC AMBAYE HAJASOMA HUFANYA VITU HIVI YA BILA YEYE MWENYEWE KUJUWA NI MUHIMU. YOU KNOW WHAT WRITING A THING IS AN ART, MTU ANAWEZA KUANDIKA UTUMBO LAKINI KAMA ANA SKILLS YA KUANDIKA STORY UTAPENDA. PIA LIKJO TATIZO LA WATANZANIA KUTOKUJUWA PIA SKILL YA KUSOMA KITU AKAKIELEWA, USOMAJ PIA UNACHANGIA KUTOEEWA KITU KILICHOANDIKWA SI KUANDIKA TU NDIKO KUNA SABABISHA KITU KISIELEWEKE. JAMAA NI DR SIDHANI ANGEPEWA TU YA BILA KUFAULU AFTER ALL DR SI SAWA NA ELIMU YA MSINGI INAPROCESS NDEFU HADI UFAULU KWANI PIA KUNA MISAADA YA WATU KIBAO KATIKA FANI WATAKUSAIDIA KUNYOOSHA KAZI YAKO IWE NZURI, SI MTIHANI WA KUKAA DARASANI MASAA 3 NA KUFAULU HATA KWA KUDESA BASI UKAPASI NI NGOMA NZITO NA UNACHALLENGIWA HASA.
ReplyDeleteSio usenene wala nini jamani. Nilitegemea mtiririko mzuri wa mawazo na lugha sahihi kutoka kwa mhitimu wa PhD. Ingawa ulitegemea tutakukosoa katika vipengele kadhaa, ukweli ni kwamba makosa ya uandishi uliyoyafanya hata kijana wa kidato cha sita angeweza kurekebisha.
ReplyDeleteJamani mniwie radhi. mimi siyo senene na wala usenene siupendi lakini kitu kimoja lazima nikiri. Mashaka makala anayoandika yametulia, lugha utadhania unasoma jarida la TIME magazine. Kati ya hawa watalamu wawili, Mashaka nitampa 94% Dr. Shayo nitampa 58% kweli tena. Kuna tofauti kubwa sana
ReplyDeleteWewe jamaa kama una Ph.D kweli basi tumekwisha. Chuo gani hicho kilichokupa Ph.D, hata kuandika huwezi. Haya basi, angalua andika mawazo mapya basi...
ReplyDeleteShayo can you help me get a venture capital funding. I have a business proposal And I am in the process of designing a software for healthcare. I need like $ 4 million to keep the project in motion.I'd like your views and secondly In this kind of economy where should I start to look for funding for my project. Do you know any one in UK? I am in USA and things are not pretty in the venture capital industry. I'll appreciate to get your feedback.
ReplyDeleteProfesa Shayo umeinvest Barclays bank? Why not CRDB? I think UK financial institutions are in a hot soup. How the hell can you advice people on mIchuzi.com. Get out of town.
ReplyDeleteHey Shayo What do you think about Airline business in Tanzania? I want to compete with Precission Air?Kenya Airways. I want to offer direct flight service from Atlanta Georgia to Dar es Salaam. New York to Dar es Salaam direct flights. I am going to partner with Ethiopian Airlines and General Electric. I want you as a COO. Please post your resume on Michuzi. Salary is $1000 per hour. Work load is 70 hours per week. What can you do for me?Thanks.
ReplyDeleteBwana Shayo,
ReplyDeleteInaelekea wewe ni academician na hujawahi kuoperate hata kioski ukakikuza kuwa biashara ya kuajiri wengine.
Wajasiriamali makini huwa tunapenda kusikia toka kwa watu wanaojua biashara, sio waliosomea biashara.
I might be wrong, kama una uzoefu wa kweli wa biashara tutajie kampuni yako na mafanikio yake.
Huyu jamaa majuzi kaandika article kuhusu Valentine iliyoibiwa kutoka mitandaoni leo anarudi tena, hana aibu. Kiingereza hawezi anang'ang'ania kukiandika. Si atumie Kiswahili tu, damn!
ReplyDeleteBy the way chuo kilichompa huyu mtu PhD kinaitwa South Bank University. Stay away from it.
ukiwa ulaya lazima ubadilishe mijina yako na kuiita kama ivo apo?
ReplyDelete"HILDERBRAND",,what the heck tht suppose to mean?sio jina la kibantu kabisaaaa
meaning what?
Wadau kinachoendelea hapa ni UK vs. USA. Mashaka vs. Shayo ,ili tuone nchi gani ndo zaidi Hawa vijana wala hawafikirii tanzania kabisa
ReplyDeleteDU JAMAA ANAPENDA SANA SIFA
ReplyDeleteNILISAFIRI NAE AKADAI ANA DEGREE 5. HII MATERIAL NI YA FORM 4.
NILITEGEMA UNGEELEZA KUHUSU *CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOR
* SERVICE IMPROVEMENT STRATEGY(such as ku embrance technology, ku capture customer voice)
* SERVICE AUGMENTING AND STREAMLINING
UNGEELEZEA ZILE 3 STRATEGIC Ps AMBAZO WINNING COMPANIES ZINA FOCUS..PEOPLE(STAFF), PRODUCT( IWEZE KU MEET REQUIREMENTS ZA WALENGWA) NA PROCESSES(SYSTEMS, PROCEDURES) ETC
UMECHEMSHA,ACHA SIFA
...ati 'free business tips'!...kweli bure aghali...hata mkituambia 'USENENE' apa yabidi tuseme tuu...
ReplyDeleteKwani Vipi? Mtu kama unajua vitu mbona hunahela?
ReplyDeleteIf you think you are so smart why are'nt you rich?
I am stinking rich and have no time to waste.USA
WEWE MDAU WA LIVERPOOL
ReplyDeleteTHERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS ARTICLE, THE INTRO IS CLEAR N CONCLUSION IS NOT BAD EITHER. JUST FEW ERRORS AS IT IS NOT EDITED.I AM NOT SAYING THE ARTICLE IS BRILIANT, BUT ITS OKAY.
MAY BE U HATE THIS GUY BUT HIS ENGLISH IS GOOD ENOUGH TO HAVE PHD. THE LECTURER ARE MARKING THE CONTENT/IDEAS OF YOUR THESIS NOT THE NOT SHAKESPEAR WRITING TECHNIQUE. IF YOU GO TO TOP UNIVERSITY U WILL MEET STUDENT FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD SOME OF THEM THEIR ENGLISH IS VERY BAD N STILL SCORE TOP MARKS. YOUR ARGUMENT IS BASELESS, I AM EVEN QUESTION WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF YOUR EDUCATION.
JUST WATCH BBC NEWSNIGHT/HARDTALK YOU WILL SEE PEOPLE FROM ALL THE WORLD ENGLISH AS THEIR SECOND LANGUAGE BEEN INTERVIEW.