/-/539444/539444/-/rdynki/-/index.html http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/New+scheme+gives+IDPs+option+of+buying+town+land+/-/539546/1325424/-/itctbnz/-/index.html Ministry expected to spend Sh5.5bn to put families in permanent homes 2012-02-12T16:41:11Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate+News/Poor+sales+push+Deacons+out+of+Tanzanian+market++/-/539550/1325398/-/ddca1u/-/index.html Luxury fashion brand Deacons Kenya has closed its Tanzanian subsidiary after failing to stop its five-year loss-making streak. 2012-02-12T16:35:59Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate+News/Phone+firms+win+reprieve+on+charges+/-/539550/1325388/-/nkkwwn/-/index.html Communication Service fee could see business suffer as telcos grapple with price war 2012-02-12T16:30:55Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate+News/Kenya+Power+raises+fuel+cost+charge+as+water+levels+fall+/-/539550/1325360/-/38k2th/-/index.html Kenya Power has increased the fuel cost segment on its billing, signalling that electricity prices that had fallen in November are unlikely to sink further. 2012-02-12T16:21:54Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Airlines+seek+soft+landing+after+rise+in+fees++/-/539552/1325328/-/uv5xnj/-/index.html Move by aviation regulator to raise airport charges signals higher fares as operators aim to protect profit margins 2012-02-12T16:04:22Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/CFC+tops+January+share+trade+volumes++/-/539552/1325318/-/tvbbe5z/-/index.html Intermediaries with strong foreign desks increase and maintain their market share 2012-02-12T16:00:25Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Canadian+firm+finds+more+rare+earth+mineral+deposits+in+Kwale+/-/539552/1325308/-/d4ersv/-/index.html Kenya could get a better estimate of the total deposits of rare earth minerals in Kwale County by June this year, a Canadian firm involved in their exploration at the Coast has indicated. 2012-02-12T15:57:16Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Renaissance+Capital+chief+executive+quits+after+two+years++/-/539552/1325306/-/lxycd4/-/index.html Renaissance Capital CEO for East Africa Patrick Mweheire has resigned after a two-year stint with the Russian international investment bank. 2012-02-12T15:54:20Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Rwanda+sets+stage+for+automated+share+trading+/-/539552/1325298/-/u0hwg0z/-/index.html Rwanda is set to automate trading at its securities exchange by the end of this year, taking the plan to inter-link the east African capital markets a step closer to reality. 2012-02-12T15:51:13Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Bill+on+land+caters+for+complex+transactions+/-/539444/1325288/-/ktxso6/-/index.html The Registration of Land Bill of 2011, one of the proposed laws that have been drafted after the Constitution was promulgated, is set to change and regulate land dealings. 2012-02-12T15:36:07Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/How+to+pick+right+members+for+your+investment+club+/-/539444/1325286/-/s1uv5g/-/index.html After you have mobilised contributions and savings with some of your colleagues at work, friends or relatives to form an investment club, taking it to next level to invest the money is tricky. 2012-02-12T15:33:45Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Japanese+tech+giants+hit+by+hard+times+/-/539444/1325276/-/haonl5z/-/index.html Japan’s Panasonic Corp forecast a record annual net loss of $10.2 billion on Friday, joining beleaguered rivals Sony and Sharp in a sea of red ink as they struggle to fix their broken TV businesses and overcome criticism that they have lost their way. Panasonic said it was headed for a loss of 780 billion yen ($10.24 billion) for the year to March, dwarfing expectations for a loss of around $6.2 billion. The loss was almost entirely due to big restructuring charges and writedowns, including to its Sanyo Electric unit. Its grim outlook follows loss forecasts at Sony and Sharp Corp - almost $17 billion combined for the three Japanese electronics firms - highlighting the impact of fierce competition from foreign rivals such as South Korea’s Samsung Electronics, weak demand and a strong yen.” Reuters (February 3, 2012) ...................................... Last week brought the news that Japan’s giant Panasonic corporation is forecasting an eye-popping loss of $10 billion. Yes, you read that right. Again, I know that’s a third or so of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product. And yes, Panasonic will not be the last of the traditional giants to tumble in this way. Panasonic is not alone. Iconic Sony, stylish Sharp, reliable Toshiba — all are in different degrees of trouble, and the water they’re swimming in is becoming increasingly hot for all of them. What is ailing these respected Japanese giants? The usual suspects are trotted out with ease: it’s the competitors (the Japanese firms can’t handle the more vibrant upstarts from Korea and China); or it’s the know-how (they didn’t see the new technology coming). Market assault Both those reasons are valid, but they don’t answer the more essential questions: why CAN’T Japanese firms compete; and why CAN’T Japanese firms innovate? To me, the blame should lie not in external factors, but in internal ones. The failures of these Japanese behemoths are not caused by exogenous shocks, but a series of slowly worsening endogenous flaws. Take Panasonic, and think like a customer. What is it that makes you walk into an electronics shop anywhere in the world these days and actually ask for a Panasonic product? Are they the best quality? The best value? The most alluring brand? The most cutting-edge technology? Struggling for a reason? I thought so. It’s a long time since I felt a burning need to own a Panasonic product (and increasingly, a Sony, Sharp or Olympus), and I don’t think I’m alone. I’m old enough to remember the 1980s, when the West was made to quake in its boots by the Japanese assault on its markets. The Japanese, it seemed, could offer better quality at a lower price than anyone else in the world. And so they wiped the floor with the cheaper European and American brands. However, they laid not a glove on the differentiated high-end brands: Bosch, Bose, Miele, B&O, among others. Japanese brands all adopted a “me-too” approach, trying to relentlessly copy one another and drive prices down instead of up. Bad choices And so, when Korean and Chinese competitors appeared with markedly lower cost structures and access to the same benchmarked technology, it was game over for the Japanese. They could neither compete at the classy upper end; nor the price-sensitive mass-market. This is not bad luck. These failures are mishaps in strategy. Bad choices were made. I also blame demographics. Japan has one of the world’s most aged populations. There is a severe shortage of young people. Despite this, Japan is notoriously reluctant to allow any immigration. Those again are choices. The Japanese do not wish to have many children; and they wish to protect social cohesion. That’s all well and good, but the cost comes in the loss of creativity and innovation. A corporate sector dominated by grey-heads simply won’t come up with daring and different products. There is more corporate decline to come. www.sunwords.com 2012-02-12T15:27:08Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Canadian+firm+finds+larger+niobium++rare+earth+reserves+in+Kenya/-/539552/1324180/-/be9159z/-/index.html Canadian-based minerals and metals firm Pacific Wildcat Resources said further drilling at its Kenyan mining project near Mombasa had established larger reserves of niobium and rare earth than earlier projected. 2012-02-10T13:03:57Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Cabinet+in+race+to+beat+deadline+for+land+reforms++/-/539546/1323668/-/15da4hg/-/index.html The Cabinet was on Thursday rushing to beat the February 27 deadline with publication of three Bills that will overhaul the management of land and establish the National Land Commission. 2012-02-09T17:30:36Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Africa+loses+taxes+as+tariffs+fuel+illicit+cross+border+trade++/-/539546/1323664/-/12oys4p/-/index.html The African Union faces a setback in its plan to create a single continental market in the next five years because a growing number of traders turn to informal channels to transact. 2012-02-09T17:21:56Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Eldoret+the+town+that+South+African+Boers+started+/-/539444/1323654/-/6e2gbqz/-/index.html Tired of British rule, Afrikaners set out to seek alternative settlement leading them to the Uasin Gishu plains where they pitched camp 2012-02-09T17:07:04Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate+News/Regulator+changes+the+tune+on+CMC+board+ouster+/-/539550/1323644/-/wsmmxwz/-/index.html The Capital Markets Authority (CMA) has backed down from its bid to replace the directors of CMC Motors after coming to terms with the legal obstacles stacked against such a move. 2012-02-09T17:00:13Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate+News/EAC+investors+to+pay+more+for+environment+studies/-/539550/1323626/-/mtchjd/-/index.html New levy will pay for the preservation of key resources shared among member countries 2012-02-09T16:49:11Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate+News/Flower+exporters+shrug+off+effects++of+cold+in+Europe/-/539550/1323624/-/7rl267/-/index.html Roses will get to Europe in time for Valentine’s despite delays, says lobby group 2012-02-09T16:47:19Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate+News/MPs+to+unlock+the+sale+of+State+firms+/-/539550/1323614/-/tsvq63/-/index.html Parliament wins power to scrutinise appointees to the Privatisation Commission board 2012-02-09T16:44:19Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate+News/Barclays+shakes+up+executive+team+in+cost+cutting+bid/-/539550/1323604/-/3qv8q7z/-/index.html Barclays Bank of Kenya has announced a management shake up following the exit of its chief operating officer. 2012-02-09T16:37:41Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Wooden+housing++gets+back+its+mojo+/-/1248928/1323600/-/101lsxcz/-/index.html New technology means that previously short lifespan can now last longer and keep inhabitants much warmer 2012-02-09T16:36:34Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate+News/SABMiller+takes+on+EABL+with+new+Uganda+plant/-/539550/1323594/-/utqe8t/-/index.html Brewers race to reduce reliance on Kenyan market 2012-02-09T16:33:51Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate+News/Nokia+taps+Kenya+app+talent+to+increase+sales/-/539550/1323586/-/13s32wh/-/index.html Finnish giant’s CEO in Nairobi to meet developers who will help reverse loss of business to rivals 2012-02-09T16:27:18Z http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Former+MP+given+ultimatum+to+surrender+lease+documents/-/539552/1323574/-/c0g7e/-/index.html Former MP Njehu Gatabaki and his lawyer, Ashford Muriuki, have been given two weeks to deposit in court lease documents for 16 residential houses and five acres of land at the centre of a family property dispute. 2012-02-09T16:20:29Z