An article published by entrepreneur defines the term glocalization as the increasing market advantage of local businesses versus global companies. Glocalization is an extension of the movement “Think Global, Act Local”. The triumph of the little guy in the face of globalization and an opportunity for would-be entrepreneurs to tap into their hometown markets and then scale.
Growing and nurturing local businesses is critical for the health and development of a nation. With a conducive working environment that allows local companies to scale, glocalization should be a priority to our country.
Fifty years ago, a retired policeman opted to venture into the little-known private security sector. Back then, Inspector Kishori Lal Sahni who had served in the Kenya Police was convinced that entrepreneurship would serve him better in his early retirement; and what better way than venture into a space he was familiar with, serving a cause he was passionate about.
With that conviction, Mr Sahni set out to establish Securex, a firm that has since blossomed into one of the leading integrated security solutions providers in the region. As a professional in the security industry, he managed to utilize the skills he had learnt in the public sector to solve problems experienced in the private sector.
Today, Securex is a large employer with over 6,000 staff and more than 5,000 direct and indirect partners to facilitate national development.
For our nation to continue thriving, professionals should venture into entrepreneurship. They already have the necessary skills required, and in Kenya, we have the critical factors of production working for us – land, labour, and capital.
The effects of the pandemic have negatively affected our local businesses. The closure of medium and small-sized enterprises has been on the rise with signs of an economic recession looming in on us, as days pass by. Additionally, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), more than 1.7 million Kenyans lost their jobs in the first three months of the pandemic.
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Having glocal businesses ensures that the resources circulate within the country, boosting the economy. The boost is possible as glocal businesses ensure that resources remain within the nation, instead of having multinational companies, where a large percentage of the resources are moved back to their respective home countries.
Additionally, setting up more glocal businesses plays its role in aiding our national government in achieving the Kenya Vision 2030 national development agenda. Vision 2030 aims to transform Kenya into a newly industrialized, middle-income country providing a high quality of life to all its citizens by 2030 in a clean and secure environment.
Growing entrepreneurship
On the vision pegged on security in the nation, for example, it is noted that the United Nations (UN) ratio of police to citizens in Kenya is inadequate, a situation familiar to most African countries. The UN recommends one police officer for every 450 citizens, Kenya has one for every 1,150, we are greatly understaffed.
Leveraging on security of people and property is an essential responsibility of a well-functioning state. Securex as a glocal business can assist the National Police and related national security organs in facilitating security in our country, thus boosting our economy.
On the contrary, data from the Registrar of Companies show that business names registered between April and November 2020 rose by 58.5% to 65,782 compared to 41,490 in a similar period the previous year.
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The fastest in decades, this is attributed to the economic fallout from the pandemic which pushed many Kenyans to seek state tenders and move into entrepreneurship in the wake of layoffs and job cuts. These are signs of new businesses coming up.
As we leap into the year, this is the time to build self-sustaining businesses and those that will ensure we thrive as Kenyan locals. We have an opportunity to re-build Kenya post the pandemic, and as professionals, utilizing our skills to venture into glocal businesses, is a step in the right direction.
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