The Competitive Advantage Approach

In this approach, the focus should move away from taking advantage of our comparative advantages towards developing competitive advantage. In Marathon terms, it should be that when the counties run 40 kilometer economic races, Baringo emerges among the top five. We define regional competitiveness as ‘the capability of a region to attract and keep firms with stable or increasing market share in an activity, while maintaining stable, increasing standards of living for those who participate in it’.

Regional clusters of related industries, contribute greatly to growth of employment opportunities, export and income. We need a mix of strong economic institutions rooted in Baringo. By cluster development, we mean businesses cooperating together and working together even while they compete amongst one another. More emphasis is placed on innovation, differentiation and specialization within cluster development, rather than previous concentration on imitation and cost cutting in order to gain a competitive advantage.

Achieving a competitive advantage involves creating and maintaining a favorable position of competitiveness relative to those of existing and potential competitors. It requires that we avoid the temptation to compete on price. The low cost economic strategy emphasizes abundant and flexible workforce, strategic location, and responsive government in order to attract manufacturing operations. A company that sells cheaper than others very often is poor
Accordingly, we hold it that Baringo should prioritize regional competitiveness ahead of the exploitation of her comparative advantages. This is accomplished by developing local firms in various strategic sectors and ensuring there is close cooperation between the businesses of Baringo because this is a vital factor influencing effective cluster performance. Baringo must run a fair wealth marathon and emerge among the top.

Improving the quality of life in Baringo depends on thriving, wealthy businesses owned and based in Baringo. She needs to nurture great firms that secure jobs and wealth for its population and to place higher productivity, innovation, and cluster development at the top of its development agenda. At the core of our development should be the Baringo Business Council, which shall oversee the strategy. Wealth does not flow from the office of the governor to the population – it is the other way round – wealth should legally, freely and fairly flow to the government from its population.