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FOUNDER`S DAY; A LESSON ON PATRIOTISM

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            Founder`s Day is a statutory public holiday in Ghana and thus observed annually on the 21 st of September to commemorate the birthday of Ghana`s first president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. It was initiated a few years ago under the Presidency of Professor John Evans Atta Mills and consolidated by the Mahama - led administration.             The christening of this celebration has aroused an ongoing debate in certain quarters but is irrelevant to the message I yearn to put across. The founding fathers of our dear nation obviously had a dream; a dream that was not limited to the political emancipation of the Gold Coast but also her economic emancipation. Their dream was to make Ghana a beacon of hope to the African continent and a conducive domicile for her citizenry.             One of those who championed the afore-mentioned aspirations and ideals was Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. He had his faults and all but what can not be denied is that he was a visionary leader who

PACKAGING; A DIFFERENCE MAKER

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            A cursory observation of made-in-Ghana products will reveal that many companies give little to no attention to the packaging of their products. It is a worrying trend with disastrous consequences. In a global village, competition is intense; a such, packaging of Ghana-made-products must stand toe to toe with that of foreign products quality-wise. It is an open secret that many Ghanaians shy away from some made in Ghana products not necessarily because such products are inferior but at least in part because of poor packaging. Packaging defined             According to Bearden, Ingram and Laforge (2001) a package is “the container or wrapper for a product.” Following a similar train of thought, J. K. Turkson (1994) defines packaging as “a marketing practice, which gives protection and durability to products.” The afore-stated definitions are in sync. One builds on the other; the container or wrapper for a given product gives protection and durability to that pr

THE 3 P’S FOR SUCCESS

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“Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success” –Napoleon Hill.             While a Marketing student about a decade ago, we were taught the 4 P’s in our first year and later taught the 7 P’s. This categorization made it much easier to remember the variables of what in Marketing parlance is termed the Marketing mix. Akin to the 4 P’s of the marketing mix is what the world renowned Best-selling motivational author, Napoleon Hill considers “an unbeatable combination for success” and which I prefer to term “the 3 P’s for success”. These include patience, persistence and perspiration as itemized by Napoleon Hill in the quote above. It is my candid opinion that the 3 P’s for success are non-negotiable and are an absolute necessity on the route to success.             Success may mean different things to different people. However, for the purpose of clarity and in the context of this write-up, I wish to define success as completing an objecti

GO THE EXTRA MILE

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“The man who will go that second mile, the man who will give more than is expected of him – is the man who succeeds” –Anonymous      When saddled with a given task or responsibility, people generally behave in one of four ways. Some have the proclivity for ignoring their assignment. In this instance, they shirk their responsibilities altogether. Others may perform below expectation whether deliberately or coincidentally. This is where an attempt is made to perform a given task howbeit, not enough effort is directed towards ensuring that the assigned task is completed.             Yet another group of people go a step further by doing exactly as required. They perform up to expectation. They are employees who will ensure that they report to work on time and exit their office premises as soon as it is 5pm, that is, if their closing time is 5pm.             It is however the final class of people who have been observed to chalk phenomenal feats and make a significant di

ON THE ROUTE TO GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT

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                   After years of studies many graduates are disheartened when the stark realities of unemployment stare them in the face, their relentless efforts at securing a job notwithstanding. I have been through this same path and I must admit it can be extremely stressful, frustrating and exasperating. Over my several months of joblessness, I gleaned some valuable lessons from the ups and downs of my job search and have been burdened to share with the masses of unemployed graduates these lessons. Start Early             When to commence ones job search is an area that many students are sadly uninformed about and thus face harsh consequence. There are no clear cut rules though. However per my experience and that of many others, every student in a tertiary institution desirous of gainful employment after graduation (with the exception of those who are guaranteed job placement) ought to begin prospecting for a job as early as possible; as early as during the final yea