Editor,

Diane Mpyisi’s article on Blue Oceans in The New Times Thursday September 29, 2011 is very inspiring. More so noting that it comes from a young person.

This is what entrepreneurship is all about and a country with an enterprising young generation has a great future.

The challenge is for our governments to tap into this, and provide the lead in sectors and Blue Oceans where young entrepreneurs can come in as employees, or suppliers, to acquire skills and experience.

Contrary to the popular notion of ‘job-creation and self-employment’, young innovators and entrepreneurs need what management guru Charles Handy calls

‘The Elephant and Flea’ relationship: the elephant being large companies where the young people get jobs, acquire skills over and above school knowledge, and later drop off ‘the elephant’ to start on their own.

Given that private capital prefers the beaten path, the Red Oceans, governments may have to come in and take the lead in the unexplored Blue Oceans, especially those that need huge initial capital outlay, with long break-even points and low internal rates of return.

These will not attract private capital that seeks maximum returns at minimum cost in the shortest time possible.

Matsiko DB Kahunga
Kampala
bukanga@yahoo.com