Brands’ creation and promotion is not an end in itself, but rise of business competitiveness

The state initiates large-scale novelties to encourage home enterprise: reduction of administrative barriers, soft crediting, and support to subsidies …. But in return the country’s leadership expects rise of output’s quality and new markets’ “conquering”.

For five years already domestic business has been “tested” in “Altyn sapa” (Gold quality) contest. What is dynamics of their achievements? And what Kazakhstan’s brand will “conquer” export horizons? Gabit Muhambetov, the chair of MINT Committee for technical regulation and metrology answers these and other questions in his interview to “Kazakhstanskaya pravda”.

-“Altyn sapa” competition may be called a good tradition in our country. But in the current year its format has been changed as far as I know….

-In keeping with RK President’s decree from now on there are two contests in quality: regional and republican competitions-exhibitions for RK President’s prize “Altyn sapa” and “Best home output”.

“Altyn sapa” is annually given in three nominations: “Best industrial business”, “Best business manufacturing consumer goods” and “Best business of services”: two prizes are granted in each nomination. Besides, the above decree says the President has the right to additionally award two companies. Winners of regional contests (9 from each oblast) meet in the final in Astana. This year we expect 144 “ best” businesses to share in a countrywide contest.

In 2009 about 100 companies applied for the prize, but in the running year their number tangibly increased due to the governmental measures stimulating business activity.

What’s practical use from the new format?

First of all the nominations have been harmonized with European model of similar competitions; and secondly laureates of RK President’s award have the right to participate in CIS and Eurasian enterprise competitions. We are sure that our winners will worthily represent Kazakhstan.

Of course new realities imply changes: largely domestic business and its future are perceived through a prism of the State program of accelerated industrial- innovative development and the Customs union. And in this very competition, firstly among “three” and then in the world scale, our companies could promote their goods and take up new niches.

Participation in contests is a good chance to “test” themselves and their opportunities, because “brands’ creation and promotion” is not the end in itself, but a real rise of output’s competitiveness, i.e., I mean introduction of new technologies, increase of Kazakhstan’s content, new vacancies and multiplicative effect for business. All these directions are “laid” in the contest’s criteria.

Do you monitor the “fortune” of previous companies-winners?

All the laureates, since 2006, have been successfully working bearing the title high and developing new productions alongside with introduction of management quality and advanced technologies’ management systems: ecology, social responsibility, energy-effective production methods. Certification shows that quality is the corner-stone in their activity.

There are a lot of examples among them - “Kazakhmys” corporation, Aktau business of fiberglass pipes, Asia-Auto company supplying a new line of cars to domestic consumers. We give them certificates of goods’ origin of a single type. It means that Kazakhstan output will come to the CU market without additional tests and certifications which previously told on output’s self cost.

Svetlana Antoncheva

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