“Zimbabwe is ready for the BPO market”
BPO is a business practice model where an organisation hires another company to perform a task that the hiring organization requires for its own business to operate successfully.
26 September 2019
(ILO News, HARARE) The Contact Centre Association of Zimbabwe (CCAZ) recently convened a stakeholders Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) conference to explore opportunities for economic growth and employment creation. In brief, BPO is a business practice model where an organisation hires another company to perform a task that the hiring organization requires for its own business to operate successfully. This, in most cases also includes outsourcing of the recruitment and management of human resources. Of ILO concern, this practice unfortunately leads to increases in non-standard forms of employment (NSFE) that present various dimensions of insecurities for workers.
Representing the Office, the Senior Programme Officer for CO-Harare, Adolphus Chinomwe, said: ‘Accelerated transformational advances ushered by the advent of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in various industries are a call to Zimbabwe’s government to deliberate on Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs) to attract global capital and create employment.’
He further said that on average, Zimbabwean universities and colleges are annually churning out over 300 000 graduates, who constitute a huge proportion of the already unemployed youth.
Global industry leaders like India and Singapore have seen the growth of the sector since the 1990s and today, the sector contributes close to 10% of GDP and significant levels of employment. In North Africa, countries like Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia have become frontline adopters that have taken advantage of their proximity to Europe and invested in the sector.
For Sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa’s dynamic economy has proffered BPO opportunities, with Cape Town expected to be an international BPO base while Kenya, Ghana, and Ethiopia have also adopted the practice.
In 2017, South Africa had 1 362 call centres generating 160 000 direct jobs and is expected to contribute over 500 billion rand (US$43billion) to the economy in 10 years.
Mr Chinomwe urged the government to take deliberate steps to make sure that it supports the BPO process to attract investment from local and global players, which in turn will create jobs for the youth.
Through the Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, Honourable Kazembe Kazembe, Government said it is responding to the industry’s demands by developing a policy framework that will enhance the growth of the BPO industry.
“We have recognised that this industry has the potential to be one of the major drivers of inclusive growth in the country. To this extent, through the implementation of effective and appropriate policies, government aims to develop an enabling environment to the creation of a knowledge-based society, which benefits key economic players.
“In today’s global economy, BPO as a concept has become one of the main drivers for economic growth, especially in developing countries like Zimbabwe. I believe that the conference would go a long way in contributing to economic recovery,” said Hon. Kazembe.
To promote growth of the sector, stakeholders recommended that government should provide a tax rebate or incentives and increase investment in people’s capabilities.
BPO expert Mr Rinos Mautsa, the executive secretary of Contact Centre Association of Zimbabwe (CCAZ) urged government to commit to the BPO by promoting a knowledge based society that can lead to the formation of more ICT driven services in the fourth industrial revolution.
“Zimbabwe is ready for the BPO market. There is need for many players to invest in the industry. So, let us come together for Zimbabwe’s destination and attack the global market together.’’
“Government should venture in and support research and developmental skills that are required, as well as motivating businesses that are already initiating in this market,” he added.
Transformational advances in transportation; product information and communication technologies have accelerated the concept of BPO in various industries. For example, global internet, enormous secured data storage, artificial intelligence, collaborative technologies have revolutionised global information and communication enabling outsourcing and off shoring in most sectors, least the information technology industry.
Representing the Office, the Senior Programme Officer for CO-Harare, Adolphus Chinomwe, said: ‘Accelerated transformational advances ushered by the advent of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in various industries are a call to Zimbabwe’s government to deliberate on Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs) to attract global capital and create employment.’
He further said that on average, Zimbabwean universities and colleges are annually churning out over 300 000 graduates, who constitute a huge proportion of the already unemployed youth.
Global industry leaders like India and Singapore have seen the growth of the sector since the 1990s and today, the sector contributes close to 10% of GDP and significant levels of employment. In North Africa, countries like Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia have become frontline adopters that have taken advantage of their proximity to Europe and invested in the sector.
For Sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa’s dynamic economy has proffered BPO opportunities, with Cape Town expected to be an international BPO base while Kenya, Ghana, and Ethiopia have also adopted the practice.
In 2017, South Africa had 1 362 call centres generating 160 000 direct jobs and is expected to contribute over 500 billion rand (US$43billion) to the economy in 10 years.
Mr Chinomwe urged the government to take deliberate steps to make sure that it supports the BPO process to attract investment from local and global players, which in turn will create jobs for the youth.
Through the Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, Honourable Kazembe Kazembe, Government said it is responding to the industry’s demands by developing a policy framework that will enhance the growth of the BPO industry.
“We have recognised that this industry has the potential to be one of the major drivers of inclusive growth in the country. To this extent, through the implementation of effective and appropriate policies, government aims to develop an enabling environment to the creation of a knowledge-based society, which benefits key economic players.
“In today’s global economy, BPO as a concept has become one of the main drivers for economic growth, especially in developing countries like Zimbabwe. I believe that the conference would go a long way in contributing to economic recovery,” said Hon. Kazembe.
To promote growth of the sector, stakeholders recommended that government should provide a tax rebate or incentives and increase investment in people’s capabilities.
BPO expert Mr Rinos Mautsa, the executive secretary of Contact Centre Association of Zimbabwe (CCAZ) urged government to commit to the BPO by promoting a knowledge based society that can lead to the formation of more ICT driven services in the fourth industrial revolution.
“Zimbabwe is ready for the BPO market. There is need for many players to invest in the industry. So, let us come together for Zimbabwe’s destination and attack the global market together.’’
“Government should venture in and support research and developmental skills that are required, as well as motivating businesses that are already initiating in this market,” he added.
Transformational advances in transportation; product information and communication technologies have accelerated the concept of BPO in various industries. For example, global internet, enormous secured data storage, artificial intelligence, collaborative technologies have revolutionised global information and communication enabling outsourcing and off shoring in most sectors, least the information technology industry.