Business Operations Unit

Introduction The BOU is the driver behind SIRDC 's quest for sustainable financial independence and the commercialisation of its R&D products and services. Incidentally this thrust followed the Minister of Finance and Economic Development's directive for all parastatals and government departments to charge "economic" prices for goods and services in order to sustain their operations. Adopting a business approach effectively became mandatory and naturally for SIRDC the facilitating unit was BOU. SIRDC 's effective generation of own resources is not restricted to advisory, training and testing services but will entail large-scale commercialisation of R&D results across the ten institutes. The resultant multi-billion dollar ventures will create massive employment, save foreign currency through import reductions and (to some extent) stabilise prices bringing relief to the Zimbabwean consumer. When the centre generates sufficient resources, it can pay its staff competitively and retain the researchers as well as invest in needed equipment to expand operations as dictated by the market.

Mr P. Kwaramba - Director

Areas of Focus:

• Investment Analysis
• Marketing
• Trade Analysis
• Process Costing
• Sales & Customer Care
• Policy & Strategies
• New Ideas

Partnership Audit:

SIRDC-BOU partners (past and present) in commercialization of R&D services include:

International:

• The Foundation for Scientific & Industrial Research (SINTEF) - Norway: the Industrial Management Division
• The World Association of Research & Technological Organizations (WAITRO)
• The Danish Technology Institute (DTI)
• Africa Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
• Africa Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS)

Sub-regional:

• Council for Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR-RSA)
• Botswana Technology Center (BOTEC-Botswana)
• Malawi Industrial Research & Technology Development Center (MIRTDC)

National:

• Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC)
• Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI)
• SIRDC 's more than 12 research institutes
• APEX Unit of RBZ
• Zimbabwe Economic Policy Analysis & Research Un it (ZEPARU)

Projects/Activities condensed:

• Commercialization of more than 10 SIRDC products covering aspects:
• investment analysis; marketing; sales programs; process costing
• Commercialization of SIRDC testing (laboratory; workshop) and industrial training services
• National Industrial Policy Development
• SIRDC 3-Year Strategic Plan Development and Promotion
• National Export Strategy Development
• Regional export strategy development for SIRDC products and services
• Business Opportunity Identification and Realization for SIRDC
• Appraising SIRDC technical staff of modern business management models such as the Stage Gate; Balanced Scorecard
• Appraising SIRDC technical staff of national economic policy developments and drawing implications on R&D commercialization efforts.

Contact Us:
The Director: Business Operations Unit
SIRDC
P O Box 6640
1574 Alpes Road, Hatcliffe, Harare
Zimbabwe

Tel: 263-4-860320/9
Fax: 263-4-860350/51

Email: bou@sirdc.ac.zw