digital edge

23 DIGITAL EDGE VOL. I, NO.1 2013

P R O D U C T S & S E R V I C E S

WG Ghana, a member of the Pan contribute their quota in terms of African ICT Company-Computer development of the local understanding and Computer Warehouse Group is an an Warehouse Group in conjunction with application of IT. He added that Oracle/CWG integrated ICT Group consisting of three Cher partner Oracle and Interdist Ghana will continually contribute their quota companies; CWL Systems-the hardware

Alliance recently organized a business forum to the development of IT in Ghana. division, DCC Networks – the Communications in Accra, Ghana where the experts division and ExpertEdge Software – the enlightened the participants on the current Addressing the IT stakeholders at the forum, software division. CWL Systems Ltd, the cutting-edge technology available from the Country Manager, CWG Ghana, Tony Dadzie forerunner of the group, specializes in the Information Technology giant – Oracle. The said Oracle encompasses every aspect of IT. supply and integration of computer hardware, forum was well attended by delegates from all “It comprises database, middleware e-payment systems and ancillary equipment. sectors of the economy; Financial, Telecommincations, Manufacturing, Education, Government etc as the technology solution is needed for data centres and their business as a whole.

The business forum tagged “Oracle Best-in-Class Solutions for Today's IT Infrastructure” was focussed on Oracle products; Hardware (servers and storage systems), middleware (programmes that help different elements of a computer system communicate) and software.

Oracle, Hardware Manager -, Ladi Fabiyi said “we held this workshop to appreciate our customers and partners and also to unveil the current cutting-edge technology available from Oracle for their data centres and to their business as a whole” He further pointed out that the equipment is designed to be re-used and if there is the need to totally remove the device, Oracle has a third-party company that will deal with it in the best possible way with the environment in mind. (programmes that help different elements of It commands a share of over 15% of the

a computer system communicate), servers computer systems market in Nigeria. DCC He added that Oracle's devices are and storage systems.” He advised businesses Networks Ltd, the communications arm, environment-friendly. “Most Oracle products to use Oracle's software and Hardware tools specializes in VSAT, Metropolitan and wide are manufactured to outlast the usual time because they are critical to the success of Area Networks, Local Area Networks, Data required. Some customers are still using the business. centre management, Systems Integration and old Oracle database and they are very Network Monitoring. ExpertEdge Software is efficient.” He further added that CWG, the pan African the software arm of the group. Its business

ICT Company has over the years successfully focus includes software development and Fabiyi in his words said “I think Ghana's IT is deployed and maintained Oracle products for deployment, systems analysis, e-payment flourishing. One can see how the telecom several clients in different industries and is systems, Training, design and implementation. companies are utilising IT to their advantage. I still doing the same. This has earned CWG the see a very bright IT future in Ghana.” Platinum partnership level with Oracle both in CWG has presence in Nigeria, Ghana and Oracle and her partner- CWG Ghana are going Ghana and Nigeria and hence, the Uganda while providing service to other to be employers of good resources and dependable Oracle partner to deal with. African countries.

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CWG GHANA/ ORACLE LAUD THE PROGRESS OF I.T IN THE COUNTRYCWG GHANA/ ORACLE LAUD THE PROGRESS OF I.T IN THE COUNTRY

T EXPERTS recently gathered in Lagos for a in an organization's overall security solutions to that data loss or corruption can impact one day Business Technology Summit tagged guard against security breach both within and negatively on any business and could lead to I“Data Security and Optimization put in place outside the organizations. huge loss of revenue, and that is the reason for

by CWG, A Pan African IT Conglomerate and James Agada, MD, ExpertEdge Software (A CWG introducing the data security solution from Oracle Platinum partner in Nigeria in Company) said the purpose of the workshop Oracle, which addresses all of that.conjunction with Oracle, a software company. was to make existing potential users of the The experts saw the need for Nigerian Oracle database and the other tools that Oracle In his presentation, Oracle Product Manager in companies especially those in the has developed to protect organizations' CWG, Mr. Adeola Adebari, who spoke on the manufacturing and service sector to leverage on information. '' If we believe that we are prone efficiency and effectiveness of database latest technology to protect their databases to having more attacks, as we drive further our applications, listed several high availability from increased data threats in view of the cashless policy initiative, we should be solutions from Oracle to include Oracle Secure expected boost on the electronic means of prepared. Today we are talking of e-commerce, Backup, Backup Management Solution, transaction in the country. One of the measures e-transactions, and cashless economy, which Automatic Storage Management, ASM, Oracle to be taken by the organizations was to imply that the volume and value of information Data Guard, Oracle Streams, Oracle Golden strengthen the protection of their databases that you have would increase. And because it Gate, and Oracle Exdata among others. through deployment of the newest security has monetary value, the data is likely to be According to him, while the Automatic Storage solutions in order to protect their corporate targeted by hackers and cybercriminals and this Management (ASM) allows customers to make information and clients. can rob an organization of several millions and additional storage without overloading the

billions of naira,” He also noted that new storage system, The Oracle Data Guard is an Speaking at the forum, Peter Boglo, Presales security features has been built into Oracle active standby database put in place to mirror Consultant, Oracle pointed out that despite the database so as to guarantee improved security all transactions and automatically switches current development of Nigeria into an for their critical database in their networks. users to the standby database; at the DR Site electronic-based economy where there would should the production environment fail. Oracle be explosion of data running on electronic Femi Ibine, AGM, ExpertEdge Software, the Stream he maintained is a replication solution platforms, Nigerian banks and other software arm of CWG also stated that there is that takes the changes in the production organizations had not taken advantage of latest need for organization to invest in database environment and applies it to the target database security solutions from Oracle to security solutions in order to protect their data, environment and makes data available in protect their networks. In his words “ with the especially in today's era of increased hacking , various locations that could be easily accessed. latest and new shift in the Nigerian economy insisting that Oracle solutions have been Oracle Golden Gate, OGG has the same feature where emphasis I s being placed on automation designed to address such challenges. He noted as Oracle Stream with an added capability of in electronic transactions, backed by Central that it was becoming worrisome that there was working in an heterogeneous environment. Bank of Nigeria via its cashless economy an increase in the level at which database were Oracle Exadata – technology for the future initiative, there will be high susceptibility to hacked and the incessant loss of data during …Now, is Oracle engineering Software and increased cyber threats. Boglo advised transfer from one location to another, and hardware together as one for better efficiency. businesses to leverage the newest Oracle Oracle have called for a more secured database He concluded by emphasizing that data and database security Innovation named Oracle , irrespective of a secured network. Although system availability is the basic success of any 11g, which he said would improve IT economics Oracle solutions address all sectors of the business keeping in-line with the cashless policy and business agility. He said most financial economy, the seminar was targeted at the of the CBN.Institutions in the country and other business manufacturing sector where the importance of organizations still use old version of Oracle data and the need to protect such data in the CWG provides total solutions for software, database security solutions. He further stressed manufacturing environment were elaborately hardware and communications. Oracle, which is that the new Oracle 11g comes with new discussed. He continued: 'Oracle Solutions are one of the company's partners, and primarily security features such as Grid Computing, which useful in all sectors of the economy, but the known as a software solution company, recently ensures maximum availability, Storage solution we are showcasing, which is the data acquired Sun Microsystems, which is a Management and data encryption. Hamilton security, is targeted at the manufacturing sector hardware company. With the acquisition, CWG Iyoha, Presales Consultant, Oracle also of the economy. We want to help customers in stands a better positions to market Oracle explained the importance of incorporating the manufacturing sector to secure their data, software and hardware products in the Nigerian Oracle database Vault and Oracle Audit Vault while expanding their businesses. He opined market, hence the need for the seminar.

Computer Warehouse Group, Oracle Call For Investment In Data Security Solution As They Caution On High Cyber Threats

P R O D U C T S & S E R V I C E S


IT Service Vendor Consolidation

echnology is an embedded fabric of applications followed by data growth and nearly every business today, mobile computing. All of this accounts for businesses across all sectors, are higher cost, longer times for storage Tgrappling with both domestic and migration and reduced agility.

global economic uncertainties. Emerging IT As projected by analysts from Gartner Inc., trends are introducing new technology the economy will continue affecting both challenges. Logical and physical security, the technology industry and end users. Each disaster recovery and high availability, is looking for ways to protect their interests. s to ra g e m a n a g e m e n t a n d s e r ve r For organizations who have historically maintenance remain pressing issues. With avoided a single-vendor approach to their the emergence of virtualization, cloud companies' IT systems and services, many computing and mobility adds new are now embracing the concept of vendor complexities. This complexity is being driven consolidation. For IT product and service by several factors beginning with an providers, vendor consolidation also has increase in number of business critical benefits. Understanding the reasons why so

24 DIGITAL EDGE VOL. I, NO.1 2013 25 DIGITAL EDGE VOL. I, NO.1 2013

Some vendors have, and value-added offerings are in fact, employed expected. Ironically, many believe that this monopolistic consolidation results in the exact a p p r o a c h w i t h opposite: lower standards of service, respect to their less contract flexibility and the products and getting elimination of a pricing/bidding support , forc ing advantage. When structured properly, them to rely on their however, vendor consolidation leads to companies' or lose none of these disadvantages, but this support. Vendor rather many advantages.consolidation is not a For organizations “end users” the formula for this type advantages include:of negative control. «Streamlined business processes and

related costs. Fewer contracts to Others hold that administrate, vendors to manage, their IT systems are invoices to pay, and resources far too complex for associated with all of these items.just a few vendors to

manage. While every «Improved accountability among fewer v e n d o r c a n n o t vendors and reduced finger-pointing s u p p o r t e v e r y between what was too many vendors.system, a selection

«Better system security achieved by of the right vendors reducing the number of individuals with with complementary access to a company's systems and data, skill sets can provide and confining access to a select group of essential coverage of cross-trained technicians. These e v e n t h e m o s t focused technicians also have a better c o m p l e x I T understanding of a company's particular environment.IT environment, along with its staff,

There's also the policies and procedures. This, in turn, fallacy that with helps streamline service calls and the v e n d o r overall performance of both the vendor consolidation will and the client.come a decline in

«Overall lower total cost of ownership, service quality and especially within the mainframe re s p o n s e t i m e s . environment, but also within midrange Tra d i t i o n a l l y, I T and distributed environments.managers have held

«H e i g hte n e d e m p h a s i s o n co st that they need many reductions across other areas of the vendors to ga in organization beyond IT, from marketing leverage over all of to professional services.them and keep them many organizations are gravitating toward

on their toes. The vendors, however, are just vendor consolidation and how to make this «Added benefits derived as a “preferred as concerned about maintaining a strong business model work is important not just customer” such as the vendors' greater reputation as they are about retaining a for the large corporations, but for small and role in IT planning, negotiations with customer's business. They aren't going to midsized businesses, as well. other “outside” vendors, value-added jeopardize their reputations or a significant training programs and logistical support.The term “vendor consolidation” conjures contract by lowering their standards of

up many myths and misconceptions. Some For IT providers, particularly independent service simply because they are among the regard vendor consolidation as the third-party providers, there is the fewer chosen vendors.equivalent of vendor lock-in. It is not. Vendor opportunity to demonstrate that they are

«Additionally, astute vendors chosen to lock-in implies that vendors of certain more than capable of effectively meeting participate in the consolidation model products establish somewhat of a end-user needs. Further, owing to their size understand that their relationship has proprietary IT environment which makes it and reduced bureaucracy, they may be able been elevated to that of business difficult for other vendors to introduce other to demonstrate more nimble, flexible and partner and as such, a consistently technologies into the environment and/or to often more cost-effective services over high-quality service level, flexible terms service various systems in that environment. larger OEMs.

By Adedayo Abegunde

General Manager,Computer Warehouse Limited (CWL)

F E A T U R E F E A T U R E


speak to multiple vendors for one product. Vendor consolidation can have operational and financial benefits for your company.

Operational EfficiencyWhen a company reduces the number of vendors they engage for service provision this inherently increases their level of operational efficiency. The sum amount of the individual inefficiencies of all their vendors is directly proportional to the IT organizations efficiency level.

Stable Pricing

When a company consolidates down to one vendor it has the ability to negotiate a pricing contract with that vendor that will offer stable pricing for a pre-determined amount of time. In most cases a vendor contract lasts one year, and with controlled costs a company can better plan a budget and chart financial growth. Stable pricing with a single vendor can also help to keep manufacturing costs down as the company knows exactly what the materials will cost for a full year, and it can plan its personnel needs accordingly.

Stable Supply

A single vendor can work with your company to understand your company needs, production schedule and plans for growth. When you work closely with a single vendor, the vendor can help you plan out your material deliveries so that you always have the materials you need to manufacture your products. You can plan This is not to say that vendor consolidation is under the IT section should be goals relating to: delivery dates months in advance to make sure not without challenges. To begin with, the access to qualified technicians and field service that you are ready to meet customer needs process of consolidation is not a simple one. An engineers with expertise on specific platforms during your traditionally busy times. A organization must be willing to make an and in specific areas of IT (e.g., security, cloud consistent supply of products and materials investment in time and energy to make it work. computing, etc.); preventive maintenance from a single vendor means knowing who to The process involves evaluating vendors requirements; adherence to best practices; call when product is defective, late or incorrect. against various criteria, including performance service call reporting and documentation of It can make materials management easier and metrics, logistical resources and cost factors. repairs; and performance metrics relating to less costly.Then there is perhaps the even more difficult response times/service levels, IT system

challenge of getting buy-in from internal staff. reliability, deployment of new applications, Bill PayingDifferent IT staff members may have allegiance security, user satisfaction, etc. Paying company bills when you use vendor to different vendors based on their Among the business goals that should be consolidation is similar to paying bills when a responsibility for a particular system or identified for the vendor consolidation private individual does debt consolidation. component of the IT environment. program are: streamlining vendor contract Rather than having several bills to pay that Vendor biases may also prevail among management, monitoring and procurement could carry late fees and service charges, you members of an organization with a large stake processes; reducing costs associated with only have one bill to pay to a single vendor. This in the IT system's performance (e.g., chief t e c h n o l o g y p u rc h a s e s , i n t e g ra t i o n , reduces the accounts payable costs to your financial officer, human resource executive, maintenance and logistics; and gaining company, and it also consolidates several marketing or sales executives, etc.). There are “preferred customer” value-added services shipping charges down to one charge.also the viewpoints of those in procurement or (e.g., IT planning support, training, advice Customer Servicecontract management who may resist the idea regarding future IT requirements and

Vendor consolidation saves your company entirely out of fear that it may diminish their negotiations with other vendors, etc.).

money in customer service as well. Rather than importance or role within the organization. Benefits

having to chase down several vendors with Using the right approach, these obstacles and Some companies prefer to have several

missed shipments, defective product and related idiosyncrasies can be addressed. vendors for each product category they

product information; you only need to go to purchase. One of the advantages of multiple To be successful, an organization must one vendor to handle those issues and get that vendors is the ability to choose the lowest determine what goals it wants to achieve from information. This reduces customer service price. There are also several benefits of vendor vendor consolidation. The goals should be time and that saves you money on customer consolidation. Vendor consolidation is the act divided into two categories: IT-related service personnel by allowing your customer of using one vendor to help reduce the need to objectives and business objectives. Covered service department to be more efficient.

Making Vendor Consolidation Work

F E A T U R E


he IT sector in Nigeria went agog at the sudden appearance Michael Dell, in the country. Mr. Dell, whose T

company Dell Inc is one of the world's leading computer hardware manufacturers, was in Nigeria for a surprise visit. The founder and Chief Executive Officer of Dell Inc. made a surprise visit to Nigeria on Friday, June 15, 2012.

Though Mr. Dell's visit appeared as a surprise to many industry watchers, it was actually in fulfilment of a promise he made in September 2010 when Computer Warehouse Group's CEO, Austin Okere, led a delegation to the Dell Executive Briefing Center in Texas. Part of that delegation from Nigeria included representatives from Ecobank International. In addition, the appointment of a Nigerian, Nnamdi Orakwue, as Executive Director, Strategy and Operations for Dell Inc. might have played a huge part in actualising the visit. CWG CEO and founder, Austin Okere, was among other chief executives and managing directors of Nigerian blue chips that welcomed Michael Dell to the local Dell office at Mulliner Towers, Ikoyi.

customers the opportunity of economy presented placed the nation a In a statement, Mr. Okere said that the

experiencing the solutions in a live head on shoulder above other countries in visit showed a strong commitment by the

environment. the region. Dell group to the teeming Dell community

Dell will also provide engineer certification in Nigeria. He further stated that the visit

facilities in the country, so that partners Dell products were for years the top of coming nine years after the visit of the

do not have to incur huge travel expenses choice people who wanted personal founder and former CEO of Infosys

and visa inconveniences to go overseas for computers they can rely on at a price that Technologies, Mr. Narayana Murthy in

certification. suits their pocket. However, this envious 2003 was arguably well overdue.

Stewart Van Graan, General Manager, Dell place—shared for years with main rival Michael Dell gave a presentation about

(Southern, Central and East Africa), HP—at the top of the computer hardware the current strategic focus of Dell, and the

expressed hope that the visit will mark the market tapered off for Dell is heading for acquisitions that have been made to

beginning of recognition of West and East resurgence as Michael Dell has offered to support the strategy, including Equalogic,

Africa as a focal point for Dell's initiatives buy back the company from shareholders. Compellent, Wyse and Perot Systems,

in sub-Saharan Africa, and attract other Mr Dell is offering $24.4bn (£15.5bn) for which are the technology platforms upon

global IT companies to tap the full Dell shares, but its largest independent which Dell intends to launch into the

potential that the region offers. shareholder has opposed his bid, saying enterprise and cloud spaces.

the company is worth almost double that Mr. Austin Okere explained that CWG had amount.

A major move of the Dell Partners' taken advantage of the opportunities of

strategy has been the 'Try & Buy' concept, these platforms to provide virtualization Analysts are saying Mr. Dell is looking to

which has worked very well. Dell intends solutions to major customers in finance reposition the company to meet the

to reciprocate the commitment of the and oil & gas sectors such as First Bank of changing IT world, where tablet

partner community by shouldering some Nigeria, UBA, TotalElf, and Ecobank computers and smart phones are out

of the burden of the 'Proof of Concepts' International for their global operations selling older models. Perhaps his

through direct input or discount structures covering over 30 countries. Speaking on intervention will see Dell competing more

to maximize the reach and impact.the potential of Michael Dell's visit in a fiercely for the growing tablet market,

Other initiatives considered include a local recent interview, he said that the which most industry watchers see as the

Dell Lab to showcase its range of solutions opportunities the size of the Nigerian future of computing.

in a 'touch and feel' manner to offer

Michael Dell Makes

Surprise Visit to Nigeria

F E A T U R EF E A T U R E


umours of imminent purchase of Dell up in March 2004 to stay on as Chairman, in Incorporat ion, the computer Though some shareholders currently object 2007. Restructuring which included job cuts company Michael Dell founded in his to the offer, arguing that valuation of the and close down of plants were carried out in RUniversity of Texas dorm in 1984 just shares at $13 per unit terribly lowers the a bid to turn things around.

before dropping out of school, finally company's worth, raising the offer would became real around noon on February 5, ultimately see the deal through. Many However, there was little respite. In 2011, 2012. consider the offer Michael Dell's desperate Dell gave up further development and Michael Dell and a consortium, which move to save the company he founded, manufacturing of netbooks whose includes his MSD Capital investment firm, since Dell has no chance for long-term production it led at some point to focus on technology investors Silver Lakes Partners survival in its current state. Last quarter of its core PC business and mobile computing. and Microsoft, whose windows operating 2012, its profits plunged by 31%, An Android based tablet computer, Streak 7, software power Dell computers, offered to maintaining a slide that has gotten worse was hastily launched in the same year. No buyout the company with $24.4 billion. over the last few years. respite still.

After the buy back, the company is to be Dell has been struggling for a while—even Sales and profits from traditional PCstaken off the Nasdaq stock exchange after 25 before smartphones and tablet computers keep slumping as consumption shifts away. years of being publicly traded: something started rapidly weaning technology many industry watchers find shocking, but consumers off traditional desktop and But the problems were not restricted to Dell. not so the banks—four are actually laptop personal computers. Michael Dell HP, its rival in the PC business, is also losing supporting the offer with loans. even had to reassume the CEO role he gave out to the Smartphone/tablets trend. In

We believe Dell badly needs the purchase and the expected new injection of ideas. It needs to spend time with its founder whose innovation grew it from a $1000 startup capital into a Fortune company. The smart move to take the company private would allow Michael Dell freedom to restructure without being too risk averse. The pressure of reporting high profits lest Dell stocks plummet on the stock exchange would not be on his back. Also the 'bureaucracy' of gaining approval from shareholders for each action he would take would not be there to hamper the pace of the restructuring and even stall it.

Bold and unconventional actions needs to be taken, and quickly. By working around the 80s prevalent business model of computer

exciting and memorable run last year. companies selling PCs to consumers Despite the lingering global economic through wholesalers at high prices, Michael recession, enthusiastic consumers swarm Dell broke Dell into the computer market. Apple shops immediately new releases are The world was replacing typewriters and announced.other analogue devices with PCs. Selling

directly to consumers at cheaper prices Extraordinary innovation can sure phoenix a while making good profits got Dell company out of the ashes in the technology successful.industry. This is what Dell requires and hopefully will get in its new phase. No industry has the time for Joseph

Schumpeter's creative destruction as Michael Dell hasn't announced where he brutally early as the technology industry, would be diversifying the company. There one can safely say. Technology is ever are challenges however. Companies that are evolving. manufacturing smartphones and tablet computers are also struggling. Earlier in the Kodak is a classic example of companies that year, loss-making Research in Motion do not get second chance. It went belly-up desperately changed its name to Blackberry last year, filed for bankruptcy and ended the after its successful Blackberry flagship production of digital cameras, which it devices. pioneered. It stayed faithful for too long to

bleak moments in 2011, HP considered its film-based cameras. Rather than ending its PC business for good and going The competition is also at an all time high for innovate early, it expended on perfecting IBM's way—serving large businesses. tech companies. Asian companies are fast camera films. When it woke up, newer

penetrating and gaining markets in African, companies were already leading the digital Bizarrely however, HP believes it is set to live Indian and other growing markets with camera business. It couldn't withstand the the PC dream as Dell's woes have warranted cheaper smartphones. Microsoft, which is competition.its being purchased. It released a brazen directly threatened by floundering sales of statement shortly after news of Michael PCs its softwares power, is striving to break There is a positive precedence for Dell. Dell-led bid to buyout the company broke: into the smartphone market with its Ironically, in the company Michael Dell once 'Dell has a very tough road ahead. The windows mobile software, to make up for its wrote off. In 1997, he said if he was running company faces an extended period of failure to see the potential of mobile early. struggling Apple, he would 'shut it down and uncertainty and transition that will not be Growth of windows mobile phones is to be give the money back to the shareholders.' good for its customers...We believe Dell's desired. Nokia, which is betting on the customers will now be eager to explore windows mobile software to get profitable, Apple turned around when founder Steve alternatives, and HP plans to take full is still struggling.Jobs moved back into its management, after advantage of that opportunity,' the an ease out. With its carefully and statement read in parts. The possibility of new, world-wowing impressively designed sophisticated and Perhaps it was meant for comic relief. products from Dell cannot be ruled out. All it successful ranges of iPad and iPhone, Apple Whatever, HP is wrong. will take, again, is extraordinary innovation. is now highly profitable. Its stocks had an

INNOVATING OUT OF THE ASHES

INNOVATING OUT OF THE ASHES

E D G E O NO NE D G E E D G E O N

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ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING, UNILAG INDUCTIONTITANS OF TECH AWARDS

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neat and conducive working environment often gives birth to Electronic document system has been able to put a permanent increased productivity and efficiency. solution to thisproblem. With just a click from your mouse, all A

Before the late 90s and early 2000s, most documents are displayed. The ones that are not displayed at ones offices were characterized by large volumes of are hyperlinked from the homepage, and with the document index files, file racks, and documents occupying a lot you are able to retrieve the needed document with ease.of spaces. Some of these documents were

2. Saves Time:obsolete and already turning yellow. Offices spaces that could serve other purposes were

Searching for a document in a typical filing room usually takes time. littered with documents. Due to the nature of But when the searching is done electronically, the user spends a few this old filing system, retrieval of document was seconds to retrieve the needed document. To enhance speed in usually difficult. In a case of fire incidence, accessing document electronically, the user must ensure that the there is bound to be an irrecoverable loss of memory of the Computer is large enough for the required document important documents. The good news is that storage. Constant maintenance of the PC is also paramount for its this method of document handling is now maximal performance. For those accessing documents through the becoming a thing of the past with the internet, the amount of bandwidth should also be considerably large emergence of the Electronic Document to enhance the speed output. Management System (EDMS).

3. Saves Space:The electronic document management system allows for storage of document in such

The document that could fill a whole room can be made concise by a concise manner that enables easy storage, using EDMS. It could be in a tape drive, flash drives, external / inbuilt access and retrieval of documents. It has a hard disk, and so many other available devices that could go into process of eliminating documents that are one's pocket, bag, or on a desk. With this, office spaces are made considered to be obsolete. All these processes available for other important purposes.are carried out electronically. This saves time

and makes documentation process a lot of 4. Security:fun.

Carrying of document from one location to the other could expose Information Communication Technology (ICT) the document to physical damages and abuses. Incase of accident is a major (if not the only) drive for a and fire incidences, there is bound to be losses that may seriously paperless environment. The major ICT device affect the office operations. To guard against such unhealthy used in document management system is the experiences, offices are encouraged to use the EDMS in their Computer (PC). Other devices used are operations. external storage devices which are accessible

from anywhere. Document can also be Important documents are secured from unauthorized users. There accessible via the internet. The equipment are software that are designed to protect documents from being has the ability to capture, process, index, tampered with by unauthorized persons.store, distribute and dispose any document

that comes in any paper format. These 5. Coordination:processes are enabled by customized

Software applications which are integrated The different departments in an organization can be coordinated with the Hardware devices. The process easily with the use of EDMS. In a case where the organization is includes scanning, coding, and optical situated in different locations, information can be passed across character recognition.within the shortest possible time electronically. A good example is the release of important memo to all staff. Instead of using the The importance of electronic document commercial courier operators to reach each location, within seconds, management system cannot be the memo is delivered to all staff on Microsoft outlook on the overemphasized. It brings about the efficiency platform of a Local Area Network (LAN) /Wide Area Network (WAN) of the whole system in an organization. The via the internet. One can safely say that the EDMS is cost effective.relevance of the EDMS is discussed in detail

under the sub-topics below:The EDMS though has come to stay, but still has some challenges. Due to poor installation of the system, we still find some 1. Easy Retrieval:organizations maintaining both EDMS and physical filing system. This makes the work more tedious. The reason most of them give is the It could be worrisome not to be able to track possible occurrence of system breakdown. For there to be an a document as at when needed. This is usually effective electronic document management system, a back-up caused by improper documentation. Due to system must be put in place. With this arrangement the users can the voluminous nature of some office have what to fall back to when the system on ground fails.documents, easy retrieval is a major

challenge.

A Major Drive In Creating and Sustaining A Paperless Environment

BY: MARY ELEDAN

ICTICTF E A T U R E F E A T U R E

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You can build a world-class

company from your living

room! Many would be

entrepreneurs have heard

claims like this at forums, and

perhaps found reasons to doubt

the authenticity of that

statement. Those who doubt the

truthfulness of declarations like

the above point to the fact that

the examples they were given

were from developed economies

whose business climates do not

compare with what is

obtainable in these climes.

Well, Austin Okere, a home

breed entrepreneur did just

that.

Telling an African Success StoryBy Chiagozie Fred Nwonwu

ustin Okere, founder of the Computer were supplying upfront, Okere felt he could do question is how to get the first thing. Sometimes, Warehouse Group (CWG), is not your much better at customer satisfaction by starting you have to do some things for free to open the Aaverage entrepreneur. For one, he did not his own company. door.”

start thinking he would build one of the biggest IT companies in Nigeria, Neither did he consider the “I saw a need: people wanted to get value for their Perhaps another subtle lesson from Okere's story possibility of it being ranked among Africa's top 50 money. Since customers agree to time, to quality would be for entrepreneurs to have very modest technological companies or himself being a much and to budget, I felt that once I meet that customer aspirations at the start and build from there. Okere sought after expert on growing a successful service commitment, they would follow through says, “My aspirations were modest. I wanted a company from scratch in Africa. For a man who with payments,” he says career and a means of livelihood. I did not really only seriously began thinking about the possibility Straightforward, foolproof business idea, one may think about leaving a legacy then, but when the of taking his company to the next level after think, but it did not exactly work out that way as he early successes came and I saw that this could be reading Tom Peters' “Search for excellence”, which discovered. Says Okere, “The fact that a customer more than just a job, I started thinking 'can this be documented SME growth, Okere has carved a was giving you an order when you were in XYZ something more?'” special niche for himself as a seasoned Company does not mean he will give you an order entrepreneur. when you are on your own. People like the big, The early successes of CWG helped consolidate

established names and hardly want to do business the company as a player in the Nigerian ICT sector; A testament of Okere's place in the development with unknowns.” however, it was a partnership with Dell that of ICT in Africa is the array of awards he has positioned it as an international player. Okere garnered over the years. 2012 is just entering its For someone who was only looking at a means of knew what a partnership with a global brand second quarter but Okere already has laurels to livelihood when he started CWG, Okere has come means. Before approaching Dell, he had tried one add to his impressive collection. At the IT Edge a long way from the days he was running the or two other Original Equipment Manufacturers West Africa Convergence Forum 2012, CWG business out of his living room with his wife as (OEMs) without success. Approaching Dell was bagged the ICT Company of the year award from secretary. Okere says he almost expended his start something even his colleagues scoffed at, as many Technology Africa, while its CEO got the up capital of $16000, contributed by friends and Nigerian companies had tried getting partnerships “Technology Africa personality of the year 2012” family, on setting up an office space—a decision with foreign firms and failed because of their award. These recognitions are not mere flukes as that almost backfired. nationality. Okere shrugged aside his colleagues' CWG, with annual turnover in excess of $120 discouragements and approached Dell with a million and presence in Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda “I bought a Peugeot 505 pickup to function as proposal they could not turn down.and Cameroon, is a very successful company. Its delivery truck and office vehicle. I paid for a place success and the environment within which it on 20, Adelabu Street in Surulere (we still have He says, “I made it clear to DELL that I wanted to achieved that feat, prompted Columbia Business that building), renovated and furnished it. By the partner with them, and not just have a School to use it as a case study, following the time I was through, I had only 2,000 dollars left. I transactional relationship. I spoke to Dell and said, footsteps of other business schools in Africa and recall asking myself, did I do the right thing? This I want to invest in your brand, and you are not in elsewhere, as well as various entrepreneurship building is big. People driving past will see the my country. People want to buy Dell, and when Development Centres across the world. huge office and say, Wow! This is a huge office they buy Dell, what will make them come back and

here. In a sense, it looked like a mistake because buy more is if they get good after sale support. So I Okere is ever eager to dispel the notion that his there wasn't much money left afterwards, but the don't just want to sell Dell, I want to set up a success stemmed from lessons learnt from any of other side of the coin was that it attracted people. support structure so that when I sell and people the world famous business schools. He stresses People didn't look at us as a small company, hence come back and get good support, they will buy that he is the product of the University of Lagos we got business,” Okere says. more and tell their friends about it.”and that his worldview are a sum of his experience growing up in Ghana, where he was born and had Those early days were, to quote Okere, “difficult The way Okere talks about the deal with Dell his primary and secondary education, and his periods”. However, things began looking up when makes it all sound very easy, like he just native country Nigeria, where he returned to for he got his first major break in December 1992. approached Dell and a partnership occurred. his university education. When NAFDAC, on the strength of his previous While it might not have been an in-and-out thing, But, how did a graduate of the University of Lagos relationship with them, ordered equipment from it did go as smooth as he claims. “I believe Dell was with little or no prior training in entrepreneurship CWG, then Computer Warehouse Limited. thinking, ‘What do we stand to lose? There are build a world class company? other strong OEM brands in Nigeria. Let us give this

“I needed capital to finance the project, so I guy the opportunity, and see what he can do.'”Okere says it is determination and a bit of luck. approached a commercial bank in Apapa, the now However, we think that it has more to do with the defunct Credit Lyonnais. The bank said, to finance Settling for Dell was a conscious decision. Okere man and his ability to see opportunity where many this, we would need collateral. I was then living in a had reasoned that it would be better to stick to see impossibility. rented house, and had no collateral. I said, well, I one brand. “I felt if I could get the training, I would Anyone who has ever worked as a customer care have a video and television. The representative of be like Dell in Nigeria, like a licensed distributor. executive or served as the link between an the bank just laughed and said he needed My colleagues laughed, wondering what I would organisation and the public will very much immovable collateral. He later granted me an do if the customer wants another brand. 'Why not understand what Okere felt when he was exception—they call it pledge of assets—financed sell everything?' They asked. But, I wanted to be constantly receiving “flaks” from dissatisfied the supply and enabled me to deliver on time. known for a niche so that everyone that wants to customers. While many would continue working in Afterwards, I made sure NAFDAC gave me a letter buy Dell will look for me.”that sort of environment, Okere threw in the towel of reference, which I took to my next client, the when the situation became unbearable. Presidency,” says Okere. With the partnership on hand, Okere paid for the

first three orders from Dell and then requested “Is there no better way to do this thing? Must we Austin Okere learnt valuable lessons from those they supply him on credit for the fourth and they go through this hassle with every single early successes, he stresses now that one major accented, since then the relationship has grown to customer?” were questions he asked himself after point entrepreneurs should keep in mind is getting be very mutually beneficial. “Once we got Dell and listening to the accusations of another dissatisfied their first break, for “success feeds off itself”. “I we were winning awards, every job we had to do, customer. Since the company he worked for was have seen many young entrepreneurial start-ups we would get a letter of reference from Dell. We getting 85 percent of the cost of the goods they grow once they get the first thing going. The requested for a letter of reference from Dell when

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we wanted to apply for a CISCO partnership. Dell you will start balancing accounts. I know that price it was being offered. What they have been wrote to CISCO and we got the partnership. So Landmark has started doing something like that in doing, the local things that they were doing when you do one good, it is like a candle and it Nigeria.” Though Okere prefers to dwell on rosy before, was a good way to grow. Eventually over lights other candles,” Okere says. tales, the journey of CWG is not without tales of time, they could have challenged for the Okere had to make the first move by approaching painful pricks of the rose's thorns. He recalls the premiership deal but they wanted to get there Dell for a partnership, but he says he no longer has nightmare situation they faced in their infancy faster. Whatever you are doing, make sure you to do that, as international brands now approach when Exxon Mobil, then Mobil, gave them a big have the cash cover in order to continue to do it.”CWG for partnership, most of which he declines to order for specialised equipment. At a stage in their ensure CWG does not carry two competing growth when capital was not much of an issue, In terms of growth, start ups can learn a lot from brands. they should have been in the clear, only they did Okere's CWG. CWG's start up capital in 1992 was

not reckon with a shift in government policy. “The $16000 but the annual turnover is in excess of With Dell in the kitty, Okere and CWG were well on government announced suddenly that there will $120 million now. To finance the Dell deal, Okere their way. The breaks kept coming and they kept no longer be destination inspection. They opted approached a commercial bank, into which the taking them headlong, which was easy as Okere's for source inspection, but the goods we ordered client paid after verifying the supply. The bank mantra was, and remains; “at worst, deliver what for Mobil were already at the port, and we could took its own interest, paid the supplier and gave you promised”. One of such breaks came with the not clear them. Two options stared us in the face: CWG the profit. Austin cautions that it is expansion of CWG into networking. With the ship it back and let them inspect it and then bring it important for entrepreneurs to find out how much CISCO partnership, the networking segment grew back again, or order another batch. Since the they are able to manage in terms of balancing so and in time became the communications division customer was waiting, none of these was an that they do not over-trade. CWG started as a (DCC Networks) of the Group. Another break came option,” Okere says. Limited Liability Company that sells products and with Y2K, when scared clients kept calling, asking continued with it until 2002 when it began selling for assistance to forestall the expected clash. With A chance meeting with an old client with the solutions. It delved into selling outsourced the banks freaking out, CWG introduced Finacle, a influence to get his good cleared was what saved services in 2010. For a company that started with banking software, into the Nigerian market in the day because Mobil was on the verge of just a staff of 3, it now boasts of 653 and is looking conjunction with an Indian company. Okere says cancelling the order. “That is a horror story. There at a turnover of $170 million in 2012. In 2009, the Finacle at a point became the biggest business in is nothing we could have done. The goods were on company was valued at 80 million. “The most the group and spun off another subsidiary, Expert credit, I could not have gotten money to pay for important thing is know how to dream. In the next Edge. Not afraid to beat his chest, Okere says of his them. I think it was about 2.5 million naira. That 5 years, we are hoping to hit 200 million, acquire companies, “Today out of the 23 odd banks, 14 are time naira was very strong. Not today's 2.5 million, two companies, and expand to three other African on Finacle. Out of the same number, 18 are on our this was big money,” Okere recalls with disquiet. countries. If you ask anyone in the company what communication network, DCC. Out of the 9,000 the growth plan is, they all know it,” says Okere odd ATMs in Nigeria, about 3,000 are from us.” Okere, whose company became profitable one with a twinkle in his eyes.

year after he founded it, says lack of profit may not Okere says it is very important for an entrepreneur necessarily constitute a major problem for start Okere's success is a direct consequence of him to be a jack of trades at the beginning. Don't shy ups. He believes the biggest problem is lack of realising that his potentials are complimented by away from being the administrator, the funds to pay bills and salaries. While it might be that of others. He believes the best advice he can accountant, the human resource person, the wise in some instances to chase growth, Okere give to entrepreneurs is to have a vision that typist, the messenger, the marketer etc. He says to warns that this might be disastrous if the money to others can key into. expect conflict at the home front because you prosecute it is not there. Using the HiTV have to sacrifice a lot to see you through the early experience, he paints a picture: “For me, how a leader sees the organization is the days. way the organization sees itself. So the leader has a

“HiTv was chasing growth, so it was giving very big role to play. He has to see above board and Okere believes one of the major factors that discounts and getting customers but it was not he has to see beyond anybody else. If he is not able hinder enterprise growth in this part of the world making any profit. More importantly, it did not to do that, he has to compliment himself with is the dearth of incubation systems such as those have cash to pay for the premiership deal they people that can. People should hire people that obtainable in developed societies to which aspects wanted. What did the Premiership people do? are smarter than they are, that way the company of a start up can be outsourced. “I think that the They shut them off. Once they shut them off, it was can innovate. You need to define your best way we can support start ups and small a dead business. The most important thing is to organizational culture because anybody can copy businesses is to have incubators from where gauge your growth so that you do not over anything. If you open a hotel, someone else will business move on to become well-structured commit. Once you take on more than you can open one beside you. If you build a pool, he will independent entities. Incubation means chew or swallow, it chokes you. Sometimes our build too. The only thing he cannot copy is the outsourcing things like HR, accounts etc, so if it is greed wants us to do everything. I think HiTV was culture of your place. Make sure you have a clear, hair you are doing, just do hair, not after doing hair, too young to challenge for the Premiership at the distinct, superior culture in your organization.”

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