Martin Endjala
According to Jan Coetzee, Managing Director of Headway Consulting, Namibia is making significant strides in embracing technology, establishing best practices within organizations, and recognizing the advantages of adhering to international standards in enhancing service delivery and the bottom line.
However, the country still faces certain challenges, and both organizations and the nation as a whole must take the need for streamlining processes, compliance, and digitalization more seriously.
“Organizations can greatly benefit from Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tools and available software to facilitate this transformation,” Coetzee said.
He believes that by embracing and implementing such tools throughout an entire organization, many time-consuming manual practices can be automated, leading to reduced wastage and improved resource utilization.
Coetzee explained that ERP systems are utilized across all industries, sectors, and institutions because they form the foundation of well-run organizations.
At their core, ERP systems replace previously fragmented databases and departmental systems, such as accounting, payroll, and materials management, with an integrated system.
This ultimately provides a unified view of all departments through a shared database. However, the success of ERP systems depends on the entire organization embracing and utilizing them.
Implementing ERP systems is known to counter waste and inefficiency while establishing the financial checks and balances essential for national and international business.
While it might seem that ERP systems are primarily accessible to large corporations or institutions, Coetzee points out that these systems can be customized to suit any organization.
“Over time, there is always the opportunity to scale up and adapt the ERP solution to meet the evolving needs of the organization. Namibian organizations, from top to bottom, must recognize the value of these systems and the advantages of implementing them, particularly if we aim to leverage the anticipated opportunities ahead,” Coetzee explained.
Furthermore, he noted that companies may refuse to engage with Namibian organizations if they lack robust and compliant ERP systems.
This implies that Namibia could miss out on potentially lucrative projects, deals, and growth, as internationally ERP-enabled organizations become preferred partners.
Coetzee believes that Namibia is positioning itself as a significant global player, but this requires the establishment of process-driven, transparent, and internationally compliant organizations.
Executives in all organizations aiming to compete in the fourth industrial economy must prioritize investing in and championing these tools.
Coetzee maintains that purchasing new technology tools alone does not constitute digital transformation. Instead, true digital transformation necessitates the adoption of new processes that harness the potent capabilities of digital tools.
The office of the Prime Minister of Namibia launched the digital Pocket Guide 2.0 in Windhoek last month to address digital issues within various ministries and to facilitate the adoption of new technologies for enhanced service delivery.
