Features
Accreditation and business growth
In everything we do in this world, we have our advantages and our disadvantages which make it difficult for people to choose options since they know that every option may have its advantages and disadvantages.
Even the choice of gender sometimes results in controversy since being a man or woman may have its own advantages and disadvantages. I have had some occasions to ask my students whether being a man or woman has its own advantages and whether given the opportunity, they would prefer to come into the world as men or women. This simple issue often resulted in heated debate between the male and female students to such an extent that they sometimes ended up shouting at each other to drum home their points to prove that being a man is preferrable to being a woman or vice-versa.
Male and female options
In such a situation, you find all the male students jumping in support of the male option, while all the ladies also make choices relating to coming into the world as female. Some advantages put up by some of the male for their choices are that first, they will never be found to be pregnant after having an affair with the opposite sex. Secondly, the male has the advantage of general dominance over female in this world. In the case of the female, some of them argue that they prefer to be women because women are always attractive and beautiful and that men will do all they can to pursue them and win their hearts to give them some favours. They argue also that most of the time, it is the men who struggle to cater for the women for which reason it is better to come into the world as a woman.
No matter how one looks at the issue, it is important to note that everything in this world has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, if a business organisation decides to go for accreditation, this will help the business entity concerned to expand business in both the local and international market and thereby make more money for itself and the workers who work there. The disadvantage, however, is that having made more money, they are likely to be put into a higher category for taxation purposes.
Importance of business accreditation
What this implies is that accreditation for business entities is important and must, therefore, be encouraged so that our business entities can perform creditably well and be able to offer fit-for-purpose goods and services to the satisfaction of customers. If this becomes the case, it is the customer who will ultimately come out as the final judge to influence purchases in the market and help the business company to grow from strength to strength.
Individuals and groups engage in business to be able to offer satisfactory services to consumers to make them happy with what they buy. For this reason, what is provided, be it goods and services, ought to be oriented towards satisfying the needs of the consumer, so as to help business growth even in situations where there are serious challenges.
Global village
Furthermore, the world has become a global village making it possible for products to be exported to other parts of the world as if such products are all produced from the same place or area in the world. Challenges in the world today, include stiff business competitions from various business actors of which each desires the best in terms of quality.
If each of these business entities and actors deserves what is best for themselves, then what this means is that business competition will continue to get stiffer and stiffer until those who are able to satisfy the consumer in the most desirable or best way, are able to distinguish themselves in the expected manner, resulting in a situation where they come on top of every business activity and for that reason capture the largest portion of the market for themselves.
Small business entities may begin their operations in a small and simple way but consistently expand and seek to improve their operations, capturing a chunk of the market for themselves. This is how business entities that began on a small scale were able to expand their activities to capture the local markets after which they also become successful and move into foreign markets. Any business entity that wants to expand beyond local and international borders, needs to sit up properly in an appropriate manner to meet the challenges ahead.
Confidence of consumers
One reliable way of overcoming business obstacles is to make it a point to ensure that the confidence of customers in your products keeps rising and rising beyond imaginable limits. When this happens, business expands and brings in the needed profits as required by any competent and efficient business entity.
This is why companies operating in small corners of the world are able to come out with quality products that are able to capture the taste and satisfaction of people in their locality as well as other people in the world today. Successful companies that are able to do this can expand their markets and make more money not only for themselves but also for their respective countries.
Confidence building
Accreditation ensures business growth in many ways. In the first place, as has been pointed out already, it helps to build confidence and trust on the part of both suppliers and consumers. Accredited companies are directed and guided to provide goods and services based on certain criterion that guarantees the output of quality products. This builds confidence on the part of customers who realise the need to deal with companies with accredited certifications, thereby leading to business expansion.
The second reason accreditation is good and helps to promote business growth is that accreditation makes the suppliers realise the need to cut down certain costs that otherwise would have been included in the process of production. With the cutting down of costs, companies with accredited certifications are able to increase their profit margins, thereby facilitating easy growth and expansion in business.
Technical competence
A third reason accreditation is good is that it helps to demonstrate technical competence and expertise of the accredited conformity assessment body concerned. This means that, accredited conformity bodies have clear-cut technical knowledge as well as the desired expertise regarding what they engage in and, therefore, focus on what they ought to do to ensure quality tests/inspections, goods and services. The end result of all this is that the company with accredited certification will have a marketing advantage over those companies with no accredited certifications. It is this marketing advantage that will push the company into higher heights in any parts of the world.
Finally, accreditation ensures that the company is able to obtain more work from customers since they can prove that they are technically competent, and has the expertise and legitimacy to produce what is required. When a company gains accredited certification, it becomes ready for serious business in any part of the world. In other words, accreditation is not only good for business but also satisfies the requirements for tenders as well as demonstrates the criteria needed to join a list of suppliers which have been approved to be engaged in any envisaged serious business.
All these go to show the value of accreditation in the world of business today. In the light of all these, all companies, be they local or foreign, must endeavour to ensure that they obtain certification, testing or inspection services from only accredited conformity assessment bodies as a way of proving to the world that they have come of age and can deliver based on their technical competence and expertise.
By Dr Kofi Amponsah-Bediako
THE state of feeling rejected, could be a terrifying experience especially for those who have become used to fame. If not properly addressed, it could lead to depression and the consequences, could be disastrous.
When you are on top of your game in whatever profession you find yourself such that you become famous, a lot of people try to associate with you. The phone never ceases to ring and one is tempted to feel loved and very important.
When a disaster strikes and the fame or the money which was the source of the attraction fades away, the circle of friends and fans begin to shrink and the phone will start to stop ringing until the call stops voting completely.
You will be shocked at how people you considered friends, will no longer be calling you or pay casual visits as they used to. You will begin to notice that messages you leave after calling them and not getting a response are not replied to and that is when you begin to know who your true friends are.
One of the most popular movie stars was an actress called Sharon Stone. In an interview with one of the media houses that was published, she spoke about how people who should have come around to encourage her in her moment of depression, shunned her. The calls stopped coming.
This is what the Bible admonishes that the arm of flesh will fail you and therefore we should put our trust in God. It could be a very frightening experience and can easily lead to depression.
Human nature being what it is, people will want to get close if things are okay. Everybody wants to associate themselves with interesting things, famous people, rich people etc for mainly selfish reasons.
We need to develop the habit of putting our trust in God and relying less on human beings. The lesson we have to take along in life is that, no one marries his or her enemy so how come people who took vows that they will love each other become so hostile to each other that they want to go their separate ways in life? Such is the reality of life.
It is therefore prudent for people to recognise that, life is full of uncertainties and so there is the need to prepare your mind for uncertainties so that when they occur, they do not disorganise your mental sanity.
A lot of people have experienced situations where people who they could have sworn will never betray their trust have disappointed them when they were through challenging moments.
If there is one thing famous people should desire, it should be the ability to identify who are true friends are. Countless stories abound regarding incidence of celebrities who have lost their shine and their wives divorcing them soon after.
It is sometimes useful as a famous or rich person to sign a prenuptial agreement before marriage to safeguard or protect yourself from any future unpleasant surprises.
People can be very pretentious these days, it goes both ways. There is this real life story where a man married a divorced wealthy woman and convinced her to sell her house so they could build a new one together, with the excuse that people are gossiping that he is being housed by a woman.
The woman agreed and they put up a new building. After a few years the man asked for a divorce, only for the woman to realise that the land on which the building was situated, was bought in the man’s name.
This can drive a person insane, if you are not mentally tough and this happens to you. When people hear that you are homeless, a lot of your so-called friends will stop calling, so that you do not become a burden on them.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
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‘But, er …. I don’t even know your name’.
‘Paul. Paul Allotey. I’m Sarah, by the way. Paul, why don’t you leave me here, since this is the last important thing I’m doing today’.
‘Okay. Now Sarah. I was just thinking. You will be here at the cafe for about an hour. By then it will be about twelve thirty. Then, you would be thinking of buying yourself some lunch, to eat here or to take home. So if you would please allow me, I will take you to one of the nicest eating places in town, and after you have sorted that one out, then I can drop you home. Just that one errand, then I won’t bother you again’.
‘You are not bothering me at all. You are being very kind to me. And I just realised you are a mind reader too. The last item on my agenda was lunch’.
‘I’m so glad I appeared at your doorstep, just in time’.
‘Okay. Now Paul, since you say the cafe is a comfortable place, let’s go in together, and you can do your work while I get my application done’.
‘Okay, Sarah. Thanks. Let’s go’.
We got back in the car at eleven forty-five.
‘So where are we going, Paul?’
‘To Royalty restaurant. It’s a twenty minute drive away’.
‘So, do you enjoy your job?’
‘Most certainly. I won’t change it, not even to be President. And am I right to say that you are preparing to enter the university?’
‘That’s my plan. I hope it works’.
‘It will, if you are determined, and disciplined. You look very much like a disciplined person’.
‘Thank you very much’.
We arrived at Royalty in twenty-five minutes, ‘You are joining me for lunch, Paul’.
‘Thanks for the honour, Sarah. But the bill is on me’.
‘Aren’t you taking on too much for one day?’
‘I never do anything that is bigger than me, Sarah’.
Over the next hour and a half, we discussed fashion, local and international politics, and sports, as we ate and relaxed. Finally, he drove me to the shop.
‘I will never forget you, Paul’.
‘I’m glad to have been helpful. But if you don’t mind, I’ll say it again, your husband is extremely lucky. You are really beautiful’.
‘Thanks again. But do you mind if I call you sometime in the future?’
‘Certainly not. Let me write it here. I will not ask for your number, for obvious reasons. But I will be looking forward to hearing from you. And hopefully, I will see you next month, when I call to drop your bill’.
‘Okay Paul. See you then’. What a lovely day, I said to myself as I opened the front door. I closed the shop and got home by seven. I went straight to the bedroom, stood in the mirror and took a good look at myself. ‘You are a very beautiful woman, Sarah. Never forget that’. I will not forget that, again.
Over the next several weeks, Martin and I had very little to do with each other. In the morning he ate his breakfast and after a shabby ‘I’m going’, he left. He came home around eight at the earliest, ate his dinner and, already soaked in beer, went off to sleep.
He spent the greater part of the weekends at the club house with his friends, playing tennis and partying. My mind was focused on furthering my education, so I didn’t complain to him, and didn’t bother to inform my parents about what was happening. I had decided that I would only take action if he lifted his hand against me again. I spent my free time reading all manner of interesting stuff on the internet, and chatting with my sister on WhatsApp.
One evening, he came home at about eight, rushed to the bedroom and rushed out. An envelope, obviously containing money, dropped out of his pocket, and I picked it up and followed him. I was going to call him and give it to him, but I noticed that there was a young woman in the car, so I went back in, counted it and put it in a drawer in the hall. He came back after some ten minutes.
‘Excuse me, I dropped an envelope containing money. You must have seen it’.
‘Yes, I saw it. Actually, I followed you, and was about to call you and hand it over to you when I realised that there was a woman in the car, so I came back in. I counted it. One thousand cedis.
‘Well let me have it. I have to be going’.
‘I will let you have it if you will tell me who the woman in the car is, and why you are going to give her that amount of money’.
‘Listen, if you waste my time, I will teach you a lesson you will never forget. Give me the money now!’
‘Here’s what we will do, Martin. I know you will give money to her anyway, so I will give it to you, if you will withdraw the threat you just issued. But I want you to know that I will be taking some steps from tomorrow. Things are getting out of hand’.
‘Okay, I’m sorry I threatened you. Can you please give me the money’. I handed it over to him, and he ran out’.
The following morning, I waited for him to finish having breakfast, and told him I wanted to have a word with him urgently.
‘You better be quick. You know I’m going to work’.
‘Well, I want to inform you that I will inform my parents, and your parents, about the situation in this house. As I said yesterday, things are getting out of hand. You spend most of your time drinking. You get drunk every evening, and through the weekend. And you are also spending your time and money on a prostitute’.
‘How dare you? One more stupid word from you …’
‘Am I lying, Martin? You have just started life, yet you are behaving like a rich, elderly man who has already seen his children through university, and can afford a life of fun. As I said, I’m going to inform our parents. Maybe your parents can straighten you out before it is too late’.
‘Look, we can talk this evening. It’s nothing like what you are saying’. He walked away, shocked.
That evening, I was expecting to have a meaningful discussion with him, but his mother called early in the evening to offer me some ‘advice’. Her son had called to say that certain developments at home were disturbing him so much that they were beginning to affect his work.
And, ‘as a loving mother to her daughter’, she was advising me to submit to my husband, and support him in prayer, and not ‘drive him from home’. Men would always be men, and she was telling me ‘from experience’ that no matter how much time Martin stayed away from home, he would always come home to me.
She had been a young wife before, so she understood the challenges I was facing. So I could be assured that if I followed her advice, all would be well. And, of course, she didn’t allow me to tell my side of the story.
Martin came home very late, and very drunk. And from the next morning, he carried on as before. With some hesitation, I called my dad and told him all that had gone on.
‘Well, my daughter. I’m not going to say “I told you so”. I was only trying to protect you. So here’s what we’ll do. Continue doing the best you can, and try not to give him any excuse to harm you, but if things continue to deteriorate, I will take you back.
A couple of days later, my cousin Dinah arrived in Accra from Brussels, having completed her medical course. With Martin’s agreement, I went to Koforidua and spent a couple of days. I spent most of the time chatting about her experiences in the US, but we also discussed my relationship with Martin, and she endorsed Dad’s decision to take action if Martin’s behaviour did not change after two weeks Elaine informed Mom and Dad. We endorsed Dad’s decision to take action if there was no change in two weeks.
Dinah returned with me to Takoradi. Her plan was to spend a couple of weeks, and return to Accra to be posted. I called Paul Allotey, and asked if he would meet her for lunch and, if possible, show her some interesting spots. Delighted, he suggested that we meet at Royalty the next day.
I told Martin about it, to remove any possibility of future disagreement over ‘going out with men’.
‘It’s fine with me’, he said, ‘if, of all the people who could show your sister round this town, you chose a borla man. Doesn’t that indicate the kind of person you are?’
‘ First of all, Martin’, I’ve spoken to him a few times, and he comes across as a decent guy, so I think it is rather unfortunate that you are writing him off when you don’t know him’.
By Ekow de Heer
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