COVID-19: MUBS pushes for use of digital technology

COVIID-19   TECHNOLOGY

A senior lecturer at Makerere University informed a friend that he had not subscribed to Facebook. The friend had called him to participate in a TV program that was streaming live on Urban TV.

However, he was unable to get a TV near his office. He has now decided to join Facebook.

Another lecturer said that before the pandemic he had not used Zoom. Because of the pandemic, he was driven to use Zoom to participate in local and global meetings.

Prof. Wasswa Balunywa, principal Makerere University Business School (MUBS) told a group of participants that because of COVID-19 he had been able to hold several meetings from home using technology.

"COVID-19 has brought some disruption but it has also brought some advantages. You can use the Internet technologies to hold meetings. The disadvantage is that you can't meet the people face to face, or hug them," Balunywa said.

Balunywa was the guest speaker at the meeting entitled: ‘Overcoming fulfillment and distribution challenges amidst COVID-19'.

"Adoption of technology is going to be very important. In some factories, robots have started replacing people. We need to make students much more relevant. We need to see how we get more digitised," Balunywa said.

Dr Rogers Matama, head of department Procurement and Logistics Management at the Makerere University Business School said online platforms have accelerated wealth creation for some people. Matama said MUBs was taking the lead in using digital technologies.

"At this time some businesses have exhibited high level of resilience and performance, we need to learn from them," Matama said.

Dr Shiela Namagembe, lecturer Makerere University Business School said Uganda has had to increase its imports using water and rail transport unlike before due to challenges of using trucks.

"We had fuel scarcity but government looked for new ways to transport fuel. Government used water transport to bring fuel from Kenya," Namagembe said. She said there has been increased flexibility in the way business is done.

"Many businesses are now using e-commerce. However, the new ways affect people without smart phones, data and WIFI. The use of online platforms avoids creating contact and spreading the virus," Namagembe said.

In agriculture, Namagembe said farmers were taking goods to collection centers for truck drivers to pick them and deliver them to markets. She noted that in some centres, farmers feared to take goods to collection centres for fear of becoming contacts for the virus from people affected.

"Some farmers lost out, those who feared to become contacts for the virus," Namagembe said. Bonny Bagenda, a lecturer at the department of Procurement and Logistics management, Makerere University Business School said some businesses found it difficult to get supplies because borders were closed.

Bagenda explained that these businesses had to find alternative routes. He said the lock down led to the increase in transport costs due to limited competition among transporters.

He noted that there were delays at the customs border points, as COVID-19 tests had to be done. "Some transporters who were not prepared for the pandemic had to shut down. Some manufacturers dealing with materials from the virus hot zones had to shut down operations," Bonny said.

On solutions to tackle the supply chain bottlenecks, he called for increased collaboration between businesses. He said businesses have to come up with local products and in house strategies. He added that some airline companies were redesigning passenger planes to act as cargo planes during the pandemic period.

"Because of the closure of borders companies have had to go for local sources, increase buffer stocks. Workers are working in shifts in-order to meet demands of customers".

Bagenda explained that more technologies for voice loading, voice picking were being used. He explained that voice loading enable employees working in warehouses to work without touching goods therefore reducing the risk from touching items.

"We have to increase integration in supply chains. For example from the time we need goods, the time trucks reach borders and the company premises, there is need to improve services through logistics integration," Bagenda said
Bagenda noted that customer profiling was very critical for business success. 

"Communication has become very important, companies have realised the need to communicate more to customers, to keep the customer informed, to enable them plan accordingly," Bagenda said.

He added that some companies are sending out motivational messages to their employees. He said companies were offering counselling services to keep employees motivated to meet customer needs.

"Students have to put much emphasis on gaining information technology skills as the world becomes increasingly digitalised.

Many people can now use digital platforms, companies need to invest more in digital technology," Bagenda advised.