Food for thought - updated quarterly

What is innovation and how do we asses an idea or concept to be innovative? What are the lines that separate radical ideas from innovative ideas? 

Or can radical ideas be transformed into innovation? Some very good ideas in the past have been ignored however, these ideas turned out to be the very ideas most of our engineering and scientific laws depend and evolves around.

I have been pondering on this subject matter for a while now due to many reasons , however the one reason that keeps flickering is ; why innovation? 

To be able to understand and  assess a disruptive idea , we need to first satisfy and meet the boundaries put forward by any proposer, composer, writer, developer or builder. This is very important to ascertain the real true meaning and feasibility of the innovation being proposed.

As a research engineering professional, my work circles around bringing state of the art innovation to the market as either product or services just like many other engineers and research professionals out there and we are faced with challenges of improving the way we live by enhancing and improving technology. I wrestle daily with ideas which can improve and solve problems but as far as i am concerned, this does not stop there once a great idea is discovered. I conduct a full research work  to ascertain weather its feasible.

So from my point of view, a peer reviewer can only give a good closure when he/she is in tuned with a proposer's concept. To put this in a much physical terms, any assessor should be able to find himself/herself in the same resonating frequency band as the writer/author in order to provide a standardised assessment.

This seems not be the case with radical ideas or somehow, unfamiliar methods and approach to work which drastically catalysed and changed the second and third industrial revolution .Back then , when Einstein proposed the relativity theory , it faced a whole lot of opposition before it was later accepted by a much larger scientific audience . Einstein's relativity theory and other theorems he worked on is now used to explain many Astro-physics problems as well as other quantum physics problems. Nikolai Tesla in his early years came up with a whole lot of unpopular ideas however, some of his ideas are still applicable and being put into good use in present times.

Engineering science is the study of the behaviour and interaction of physical and chemical properties which could be used for the benefit of humankind . Venturing into this enterprise comes at a cost and price as well as risks. NASA is a typical example of this scenario however, they are not the only institution to have been found wanting as a result of innovation. We managed to launch the supersonic plane ; the concord as we call it ,  as a perfect flight service for the public but  the concord idea was later discarded as an unsafe transport service .

All that i am saying is emerging concepts and ideas keeps coming up and are proposed by many scientist every year and sometimes these ideas take a while for either reviewers/assessors to get familiarise with the concepts . This is why we see most ideas not being accepted at the very onset but later gets an overwhelming heads up. I believe today's innovation requires a certain assessment rather than the usual way. This is true when innovation serves a purpose and for that matter, the target market could be used as a full proof assessment of such innovation.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

June 2020

AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES - DOING AWAY WITH THE HUMAN FEAR FACTOR MIND SET AND PERCEPTION   

It is a fact that society is adamant to change thus,  we fear what we do not understand, this analogy has been manifested and proven through ages but how do we deal with situation in this day and age where we can no longer afford the drawbacks of such  mentality and the impact it has on the progress of tech businesses. 

I have decided to dive deep into an issue relating to this scenario regarding driver-less cars . Although , we have not yet seen this emerging technology on full scale implementation, people are working tirelessly around the clock to make this a reality. But what are the real challenges against this state of the art technology with such promising business prospects. To be able to understand the confusion, it is good to look back and realise that since the automobile was invented , we have not seen this machine in operation unsupervised and for the first time in history, we are making this a reality.

This should be seen as a great breakthrough in engineering science and technology due to the huge business benefits which could be generated however the autonomous vehicles biggest challenge is still got to do with security issues and until this is resolved , it is going to be very difficult making a case to the consumer on choosing an supervised car over a supervised one. The consumers should be enlightened on the value for money and why it would be a sweet deal to opt for an autonomous vehicle for the extra cost. So the real challenge on the deployment of autonomous vehicles on the roads is the fact that consumer's are anxious, cautious and fearful of what could happen on the road with an unsupervised vehicle . It is therefore imperative that manufacturers take this on board as a cause for concern and device an approach on eliminating this fear factor.

We see this same scenario and the challenges IT companies are facing on convincing client about the deployment of their large size of data in the cloud environment. As far as i am concerned, data storage and data processing in the cloud environment is the most innovative way to manage and processes any size of data but it is upon the companies to sell this technology to the target market. I remember my first time uploading my data to a cloud platform. It felt like i am sharing my information for everyone to access and it also seem like i am no longer in control of my own data because it was on a vendor's platform. This mindset diminishes once you get yourself familiarise with not only the technology but also the business model .

Of course, the autonomous vehicle, just like the cloud platforms and any other technology that we know is not hundred percent full proof, however, the systems architecture security protocols in place takes care off all cyber attacks, IT breaches and glitches within the system. A strategic approach on reporting the progress on uses cases for AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES- DESIGN BY SECURITY will help eliminate doubts about this technology to the ordinary consumer. 

We take minimal risk each and every day of our lives without even acknowledging the impact they could have if the other side of the coin is shown upon flipping . So it is upon us to embrace a sustainable innovative technology that improves our way of life and the environment.

 
Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

September 2020

I was asked not long ago by a fellow if i was a habitual gambler . And my answer was NO. The question came to me again during this past few weeks as i begun contemplating on what Gambling actually is and the analogy associated with this word . In the mist of all the confusion and questioning , i realised that this analogy could be applied to myself depending on the on the contest and perception which is given . Any entrepreneur should by able to take 'meaningful or reasonable ' risk , i use these words purely because there are no scale of grading when it comes to business ventures or risk , its all depends on having the guts to make extreme and  bold decisions which an ordinary person would not consider .

Now this principle also exist in the game of gambling but what sets these two apart is the 'grey rule' i use this terminology for cheating in both instances because of how logically and philosophically, both words can provide inverse ideas to any reasoning and at the same time be justified. A typical example of cheating in gambling is counting cards or using a mathematical formula trick to win games, whilst in business development this trick may in fact,  be what we rely on to make big decisions and improvement however, this mind blowing concept is is termed innovation in entrepreneurship. Hence the outcomes for any good decision made against any risk taken presents three possibilities, thus either your calculations were wrong/right or you have been cheated by your clients (A third party) . Which is contrary to the Game of gambling, in fact vise versa.

I have been reflecting on the many risks that i have taken  during this past few weeks. if i have been cheated or if it was purely a miscalculation. And i finally concluded that i have been cheated in most risks that i have taken as an entrepreneur and this is because they can all be proven just like playing a game of cards. 

I hope you relate to this concept on any accassion where you find yourself being on the verge of taking an unprecented risk.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

December 2020

We are almost getting to month six  since the pandemic struck the heart of UK and its borders making life unbearable for all of us . This brought about drastic changes which were made by the Government 

as well as most of us in order to cope with the situation. The lock-down rules imposed on citizens meant most workers could not go to their usual place of work to participate in daily social activities and professional activities as required. This lead to most companies adapting to other ways of providing services to client and customers by opting for remote working methods where possible.

There is no doubt that the aftermath of the lock-down caused a massive catastrophe on the UK's work force where some could no longer return to their place of work due to lack of productive commercial and enterprise activities to generate enough revenue and therefore businesses had to resort to redundancy. But it is also a fact that most companies are beginning to relish the idea of remote working more than anytime in the history of mankind and this is not just because of the limitations caused by the pandemic which gave businesses less options in terms of social distancing at work but rather businesses have come to realise the true benefits of remote working.

So why did this initiative took such a long time to be recognised as potentially the most economical and efficient form of work based on the fact that the infrastructure, resources and facilities have been in existence for most companies for the past 20 years now. I believe that the main reason companies have taken a cold approach to such initiative is mainly due to hierarchy and management issues with regards to responsibilities. In the corporate world this idea has been in existence for some time now but at the very top level. The job market is changing very fast due to the emergence of internet of things and technological breakthrough giving even lower level personnel and staff members, critical and vital responsibilities 

that requires an enormous amount of either professional training or high educational background for them to appreciate the part they play and their contribution in making any enterprise successful. 

Many companies who have adapted to this remote form of work after the lock-down from the COVID -19 pandemic have the above mentioned principle and philosophy that transcends from the top level to the bottom  and it is instilled in all staff members and even though not every staff might have the opportunity to take this role, those who do recognise their value as individuals and their responsibilities in the collective contribution to the success of the company.

Of-course , there is a downside to this problem especially with lower staff management as a result of mental health issues and so forth however, if it is properly implemented, these setbacks should not be any challenge to the derived benefits.

This is the future of work and it is high time for businesses to recognise this and take the full economical advantages.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

March   2020

In all sector of work , either running a business or working as an employee , each one of us is responsible to managing a certain level of workload and the challenges we face on accomplishing this goal determines each individuals strategic approach and focus.

I use the term motivational Monday in the sense that Monday is the beginning of another week to many businesses , employees , workers and so many people look on this day to start another day of work after a short weekend break. Big Organisations and businesses with large scale employees have a robust and structural plan in place under which each employee has a responsibility in presenting and bringing fourth a collective effort for the benefit of the whole organisation however, is upon each individual's ability and motivational drive that counts. Research paper published by Gartner identified a slow rate in productivity work on Monday for many business in the UK and also stated that this was mainly caused by many employees in businesses taking a short break from work. 

From this analysis. it is clear that Monday is a critical day of the week for businesses and it is imperative that businesses take action to address the lack of productive behaviour within the industry.

Many businesses have realised this effect and have taken crucial steps such as flexible time schedule to work, remote working and making available other facilities that could increase productivity and encourage 

workers on changing their attitude towards this challenging day.

As a small business, like many other small businesses in the UK , working around the clock is a normal behavioural trait and it is this attitude and discipline that determines failure and success when running a business but it is also the a typical characteristics of successful entrepreneurs. I believe that big businesses and large scale companies can learn a lot from the entrepreneurial mindset where motivation lies within accomplishing daily routine responsibilities .

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

June  2020

Setting up an enterprise is not in any way an easy task, this is why only a few are able to venture into this way of making a living. Many successful entrepreneurs failed in several attempt on building a business before they finally made it. In the UK, This has become one of the Government’s problem and this was addressed in a consultation back in 2017 as part of the industrial strategy review programme.  Many businesses especially , start-ups fail within the first year of establishment but fail to make any impact due to many factors such as lack of funding and many other reasons.

Today’s market is controlled by the internet of things and many start -ups venturing into the enterprise world should be aware of the challenges they will be facing and measures required in mitigating setbacks. 

In business development , coming up with a good business model is vital  on wining investors to any major project and this can be a game changing moment for any business.  Business ideas have evolved during the past forty years and many have capitalized on the change in market trends to establish successful ventures. So investing in a tangible idea is the ultimate goal in accomplishing any business plan. There may be risks and set backs however, it all boils down to how it is managed and executed . 

A tangible idea becomes the seed that is sown from the beginning and it is vital that the right steps are taken on gaining a good harvest.  It might always not seem gloomy but through determination and hard work, you should be able to reap what you sow.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

September  2020

Many a times, business owners and enterprises find themselves in situations which can lead to either a disastrous condition or a compromised one however, if these set backs are identified at the early stage of any business process or project then proper guidance could be sought after to mitigate them.

Resolving these issues does not necessarily provide any guarantee to business success but what it does is it provides enterprises with the learning opportunities through out their entire development life cycle as entrepreneurs. It is Imperative that any difficulty encountered along the way are maximised to reflect the positive outcome.

This is a challenge for many businesses and as a result they fail to capitalize on the opportunities that could be derived from the exposure and experiences .

My personal experience is a testimony of rough venture which I have endured, and the lessons learnt from this experience.

Every start-up from the get-go and on the launch of business has the potential to determine and identify its strengths and weaknesses but it is important to capitalize on the advantages within your grasp which overwhelmingly overshadows your weakness. By so doing, you do not expose your weakness to your competitors but gradually find your way through by accomplishing any goals that has been set .

A scenario of case study can be a start-up that is finding difficulty in getting initial funds or capital to begin a project. It becomes crucial upon long awaited period of unsuccessful bid for funding to initiate a way of making your business model valuable. By so doing , you add value to your business plan which potentially attract investors. 

And although this might also cost fortune , it provides the perfect opportunity to invest into your business idea by adding value to it. Eventually, other avenues of funding can be available when a tangible evidence can be shown of the implications and prospect ahead for your business model with regards to the product and services it offers to the target market 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

December 2021

Climate change has been a matter of much concern since the last four decades and nations world wide are doing their possible best to combat the effect of climate change . The united nations and other environmental organisations have taken bold initiatives by working with nations worldwide in ways to reduce this catastrophic effect. But as we all know , this is a global problem so there is obviously the need for the world’s population to be aware and contribute equally in achieving the goals of eradicating any disaster. This seems not to be the case apparently due to many factors which mainly limits the resources on initiating any campaign against climate change. 

Majority of countries in the developed world have ambitious plans on meeting their goals set on reaching and being a net zero emission state however, I personally think the focus should be broadened in order to solve the problem. In the UK there are several initiatives introduced by the government on reaching a net zero emission state as a result of climate change . Environmental standards and regulations have been introduced in order to establish a firm grip on quantifying the usage of energy resources from data analysed and provided by energy companies from consumers . Manufacturing companies are also following guidelines and standards to ensure minimal harm is caused as a result of industrialisation. Majority of the population in the UK are now conscious on the impacts they have on reducing their carbon footprint through their daily way of life. 

This initiative cuts across the whole of the western Europe , North America and  some part of eastern Europe however, every country has its own approach of dealing with the situation hence , budget for such a campaign varies from state to state. As overwhelmed and impressed as I might be with some of the state of the art technologies put in place to accomplish this challenge , I am still not convinced as a scientist that the overall ambition can be achieved and this is purely based on my scientific theories and laws which happens to also govern the globe . 

The rate at which the earth’s climate is depleting requires a collective effort on meeting a net zero emission but this can not be accomplished if the environmental standards set by the world environmental organisation varies amongst nations. I know combating this disaster is challenge in terms of resources and therefore many poor nations are unbale to meet the resources required to solve and eradicate the effects but I believe one major factor that can easily combat this problem is mass education of the population . With little resources in place , an average educated conscious individual should practice to reduce his/her carbon foot print for better of the community and the world as a whole. North America and Europe have great ambitions for electric cars and the total termination of petrol vehicle production within the next thirty years coming. However, third world countries will continue with production of petrol vehicle. This raises many concerns and unless this ambition somehow also becomes an ambition for the rest of the world through a swift education programmes  , meeting a net zero emission globally is not yet feasible.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

March 2021

It is a fact that the earth’s natural resource is gradually getting to a diminishing state where we can no longer afford its impact on the state of the global economy. Natural resources which are processed and refined into product and items for our day to day usage and other applications such as industrial manufacturing is to be preserved and maximised in an smart way in order for these natural resources to last longer with ample time left to enable us find alternatives sources of natural or re-manufactured/manufactured resources of the same qualities to replace them. 

Fossil fuels as an energy resource has been in existence since ancient times and mankind made use of it in any possible way convenient but it clear now that the present global population and demand for the energy resource can no longer withstand the daily global consumption for this fuel in its refined state. Moreover, its mass usage has now raised concerns on the damage to the environment. 

There is no doubt that fossil fuel will still play a major role with regards to the global energy consumption however, I am happy at the direction that many countries across the world are taking on investing into a new way of tapping energy from our natural environment. 

I am talking about renewable energy. The wind, the sun, the tides and waves from the sea, rivers, lakes and also man-made dams all being put to good use, thanks to hard working scientist who have devoted their time on thorough research on alternative, efficient and ideal form of energy usage for sustainable living. 

There are still some issues and challenges with proper exploration of nature in realising the it’s full potential. In this case Africa and other areas of the continent where the sun could be put of good use as an alternative to fossil fuel usage. 

Another challenge is enabling machines to perform at maximum efficiency of any kind of renewable energy source to realise hundred percent work done, thus if a wind turbine’s rotor or photo voltaic cell from solar panels can be made to generate 99 percent efficient energy then that renewable source is being put to good use however, this is not the case at the moment and we are having to deal with component and machine in-efficiencies presently.

The challenge is now upon us to maximise usage of what this technology offers us in order to attain a 100 percent efficiency from any renewable energy source.  

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

June    2021

Making use of a skill or knowledge acquired along the way can be a game changer in everyone’s professional career but certain skill and exposure are disregarded by many by not putting it to proper use and for that matter, not realising its full potential. Every individual has his or her own interest and hobbies and while these might just be for leisure, it provides us another way of learning and following a rule of conduct which can be a lesson for disciplined minds. 

Playing board games is a typical example of this scenario where you can benefit, and transfer knowledge gained into real life experience. A regular chess player picks up the fundamental logic subconsciously, that is composed within the game and somehow, this will be applied in his/her day-to-day professional activities when the need be. The ability to recognise a gained discipline from a game can be the difference in realising its full potential. In the sense that, your state of mind gets elevated by building a confidence approach on handling situations that might require your hidden talent. 

Ambition can be driven by people’s passion gained from games and so it is no surprise to see a good chess player making all the right decisions or a good monopoly game player being successful in the real estate business or a poker game player being good at negotiations.

There are millions of games out there on the market nowadays, not to mention computer and mobile application games with the same fundamental principle where knowledge gained can be put to good use if properly executed. Many of the board games can now be played on a computer or on a mobile phone where the fundamental principles and rules are still intact. There are also many new developed interesting games now in existence which are even more challenging and task oriented. 

Every game has a purpose guided by rules to win and I am intrigued by the design and development process that goes into building and selling a successful game. Transforming an idea into a work of art where vital skills can be gained and transferred is brilliant and innovative.

Imagine the impact this can have on entrepreneurship  , when put to good use the knowledge gained from games which are applicable to communication/vocabulary, negotiating, purchasing, strategic thinking, design thinking, numerical thinking, leadership, visual effect and planning on a business oriented platform.  

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

September    2021

Metaphorically speaking, the topic of this post makes a lot of sense with regards to work ethics, however, its interpretation and understanding by an individual will depends on their perception of life. The key words that come to mind when I think about this includes vocabularies like, productivity, sustainability, flexibility, and efficiency. The current pandemic has given the world a great exposure on the impact of health crisis and its effect, socially as well as economically. 

Out of this all, civilisation was not conquered but rather, we fought back by finding new ways of doing things by deriving new business models and different approach of doing things. Of course, other areas of business activities have been affected due to the closure, especially hospitality and tourism but this could have been worse without technology which enabled some partial form of business activities to be conducted in these sectors.  More creative and innovative ways of being productive at work has been implemented enabling flexible and smart ways of work possible. The impact of this was seen during the early phase of the lockdown where many high streets were left vacant. what all of us witnessed was amazing; with the diminishing effect of CO2 gasses, cities saw again blue skies and animals started visiting the rare areas and vicinities. I can not dispute the fact that the aftermath of the pandemic will see most of the high street businesses back in business, which is in no doubt good for business, but we cannot also discard the experiences this pandemic has taught us. 

I touched on lessons learned from the pandemic in my previous post - September 2020 where the emphasis was on the impact and the aftermath. The lessons learnt has been a key contributing factor on controlling the COVID-19 virus not to mention the rules that were observed. We can not ignore the fact that technology played an advantage role in making this pandemic controllable, but this would not have been possible without our collective effort to fight back especially from the national health services like the researchers, doctors and Nurses who sacrificed their time by burning the midnight oil to make this possible. 

Hence the figure of speech which expresses this subject matter can sometimes be interpreted to reflect not only a good condition but also in challenging conditions of an environment where we defy the odds by making hay of capitalising on the challenges that could be met. 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO- Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

December  2021

The topic on diversity has been of much concern lately from corporate organisation to Governmental organisation. We now have policies in place that is improving the current situation on handling matters within this domain. No matter how complex and sensitive the situation might be, encouragement or promoting this standard of living in society is a good thing but are we willing to make the changes that will eventually bring an impact. Any changes made will have to challenge the status quo and many are not ready for this change due to societal lackadaisical approach of dealing with social changes. This has been witnessed over the years since the first industrial revolution, but people of this modern age find ourselves privileged to be surrounded by many technological advancements which breaks the barrier of isolation and should make the ideology much easier to accomplish.

So why is this still a problem. To address this question, we need to solve the issue of inclusion because they are both issues that points in the same direction. Be it gender, race, age, language or disability. Acknowledging these factors in a positive manner to address the issues could be the only way forward. Each person on the planet is a singular entity with his /her own unique attributes that can never be compromised or compared to another person, but our differences should not trigger antisocial behaviour but rather a sense of belonging and unity. Our collective efforts is what makes the impossible, possible. Recognising the fact that age, gender, race language or disability should not be barriers is the first step on dealing with this situation. Acknowledging the potential within everyone’s ability to bring changes to make a positive impact is the next step.

Society can no longer afford to be adamant dragging diversification because we are at the fore front of the information technology era where everyone’s attributes could be amplified by our surroundings using tools and gadgets around us. Disability is no longer a limitation, in some cases, on progress or one’s capability, while race should not play a role in any collective effort of achieving a goal but rather competence, the same analogy applies to gender, age and languages. Nowadays, we have social platforms breaking the barrier amongst culture but there is still a lot to do on solving issue of diversity to make an impact on inclusion. Only by accepting society and our surroundings can progress be made and only by acknowledging our differences as a strength and not weakness, can this goal be accomplished. 

We can only succeed in getting the best of from people if they are accepted regardless of their backgrounds, race, gender, age, language. And are recognised by the potential and attributes to contributing to society. 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO- Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

March  2022

To commemorate on Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd’s one year anniversary since I began creating content for the post Log – PLOG on the website, I decided to touch on a very specific topic. This topic came upon me after reading a post shared by one of my network members on LinkedIn early this week. I found the post interesting but also intrigued to see the illustrated figures within the post and how they have been interpreted and though it’s seems a bit exaggerated, it made sense by correctly stating why we become entrepreneurs.

Any successful business individual has a different answer to why getting into any business venture however, our human behavioural trait and characteristics to work ethic plays an important role on any career decisions taken.  You can tell the mind set of any entrepreneur from a very early age in life by so many different ways however, its is clear that one common attribute is exhibited by many entrepreneurs, thus, the faculty for critical thinking. Critical thinking is rare character that differentiate the few from the bunch. It is an attribute that brings out creativity, work ethic, ambition, and devotion from any individual in that state of mind. 

From my personal experience, I will not say that people become entrepreneurs because they get bored out of their jobs, striving for freedom, can’t have a boss, too creative or too ambitious as the post on LinkedIn illustrates but it more to do with an inner call to accomplish a goal. Situation may vary accordingly but making a decision to become an entrepreneur has its stakes higher than that illustrated. 

The ability to own any property can be compared to the mindset of an entrepreneur, the only difference is that the entrepreneur owns a business with the prospects of making profits. There is a huge responsibility that comes with maintaining those prospects and the challenges can be daunting. Ownership is the driver to motivation from an entrepreneurial point of view and the real entrepreneurs show their business traits when they are faced with challenges.

Many entrepreneurs started from somewhere either by working for someone or have already tried a failed business. Perseverance determines a critical minded individual from the bunch as a result of creativity, work ethics, ambition and devotion. Most famous entrepreneurs known started businesses and failed over and over before being successful however, there is a commitment and a drive to succeed in owning something successful. This motivation is the entrepreneurial spirit and this is why people become entrepreneurs. 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

June 2022

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt your situation or condition is like a movie or better yet, is nearly similar to a role played by an actor in a movie? This situation happens to a lot of people however, there is a convincing fact that can never be ignored. Thus, no matter the perception to any real situation, it will still be a movie and for that matter, a fiction because in the movies, any role played is exaggerated and this cannot be compared to real life situation. Most of the time ,the character depicted in any plot shows the lifestyle of an imaginary figure. 

Movies are for entertainment purposes, even when it is related to a true-life story. There is always a slight twist on the real story and incident that occurred for the purposes of entertainment. So why do people sometimes find themselves trying to emulate situations relating to movies or better yet, why could someone’s situation be compared to a movie role. We live in a world where majority of us are so infatuated with fiction to the sense that they are unable to distinguish between what is real and what is fiction. 

I read a couple of years ago on the internet while browsing through strings of conversation from forums on a live feed website that majority of mankind are much comfortable living in a fictional world rather a real-world situation- this was actually a research finding derived through a series of interviews and surveys. We have all observed the extreme situations where people act violently or emulate a character in order to justify a cause or even for fun, but it is much bigger than this and it is even serious and dangerous when individuals in responsible positions and places in society are secretly obsessed with a theme or concept that is far from real. This can also be related to lyrics taken out of context from a song. 

I hope I am not deviating from the subject matter when I stress on the fact that being a fan or looking up to a figure as a role model, need it be political, entertainment, sport, or enterprise wise is not wrong. However, it is very important to note that as human as we are, we do all have our weaknesses, therefore it will be unjustifiable to consider any person as a perfect figure.

In the nut shell, I have to say this ; You are bound to face so many difficulty if your persona is being compared to a movie and this is because the problems that comes along are not real life problems but rather fiction caused by obsessed individuals who want to experience that fiction in real life situation forgetting about the consequences .

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

September 2022 

The current pandemic crises have taught us a lot of lessons with majority of small businesses having suffered a great deal of loss and the economic impact felt by many but it also clear that some business made a gain however, a common trend that many businesses are adopting is flexible working routines as a result of the pandemic situation. 

Although the resources and infrastructure already existed for many businesses, decision makers were adamant on the flexible working idea mainly due to the fact that it could probably compromise the traditional working routine which could possibly have an effect on City high streets and businesses providing these services.

I see the future of working to be flexible and remote working and this is because the internet of things has enabled so many factors which makes this idea tangible and an economic one. During the mid-stages of the pandemic, many businesses made a strategic decision to allow employees work from home, providing them with all the resources required to make this possible. According to sources uncovered on Linkedin, this exercise has proven to be a success and although many companies took it on as trial basis, many businesses are now considering the possibility of making this permanent whiles others are considering the hybrid working routines. 

Now is the time to consider the ethical side of things regarding this norm and restructure it to be effective without having any breaches to regulations and policies already in place. This is important for so many reasons but the essential point is to restore confidence with businesses operating this way. By so doing , we assure the public that information is not mishandled and workers are either trained or retrained to follow any code of conduct applicable. Businesses having large customer base would have to consider the professional conduct act implication and consequences. 

The traditional way of working will eventually diminish as time passes with just a few businesses having a specific business model which could thrive on to the traditional office working routines. The economic benefits of flexible working under many factors outweighs the traditional working routines and I think it is about time that it is restructured and reviewed to meet future working routine challenges.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

December 2022

We live in a world where everything moves at a pace faster than we would have anticipated thirty years ago. Welcome to the advanced civilised world and yet we have not yet even scratched or explored the best possibilities yet. So why is that , 

Information has never been so much in abundance for mankind, having said that , it is still not well utilised and so we find ourselves  wasting information. If you take a look at ancient civilisation, you will notice a common trend that makes nations prosperous and that has always been driven by freedom and respect for human rights. These are fundamental human necessities that drives economies to prosper however, few individuals were given such privileges back then  which created an unequal society leading to deprivation and immorality. 

We find ourselves in a society where information can be accessed no matter where you are or what you do and that is why this progress comes at a fast pace. However, we find ourselves not utilising information very well, thus the efficiency rate or ratio of having information and using information is still negligible compared to the world’s population. Reasoning becomes the ultimate challenge and without being able to reason, none of the information we have is useful. 

We are in the age of reasoning where successful nations will emerge through reasoning and the structure of society will only be determined by logic and reasoning. 

A civilised society is one that acts out of reasoning for the sake of the community by implementing laws and regulations that are safe and pragmatic however, without these laws being properly assimilated, there won’t be a proper system in place because individuals need to understand and respect them. If not, we bound to waste the information provided. The difference in knowing something and applying it in everyday life becomes the reason and the logic is putting it in action for a greater purpose. An ideal environment where this could be achieved is through educational and training establishment where faculties are tasked on imparting logical reasoning and encourage the younger generation to seek and utilise information well beyond their area of study. 

It is imperative that decision makers of this generation use the knowledge and abundance of information on reaching verdicts rather than relying on external influence. By so doing, we encourage reasoning and logic and discourage corruption in any form. 

A typical example relates to diversity and inclusion; thus, society cannot be diversified if individuals in all works of lives cannot afford the reasoning behind this. What sets this age apart from the period of social injustice such as apartheid, the American civil right movement and the slave trade is the abundance of information and exposure but if not utilised to it full use, then we might as well be going backwards to those ages of chaos. 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

March 2023

Any series of misfortunate event can still not be classified as intended or premeditated unless it is beyond reasonable doubt so for any misfortune uncounted, it makes sense to consider the probable causes- what are the odds that this will happen again?, or it won’t happen again? This is how to start planning a strategy to mitigate any risks.

Most of us have been in situations where we have either been compensated for error caused by service provider, damages paid for customer services misconduct or even claiming for both as a customer.

There are several bodies set up by the government such as the Financial Ombudsman’s service , housing ombudsman service etc.  to ensure the consumer is always served right but still cases of misappropriate treatment keeps skyrocketing. Why should this be the case and why the proper authorities are not called to take actions on ethics and professional misconduct behaviour in any industry this situation might be applicable. The high level on consumer complaints points to only one cause thus, someone is not doing his/her job right. 

The financial institutions and other service providers must be vigilant and hold their employees accountable for errors that are swept under the rug only to occur again, if not with the same employees, a colleague of his/her. This keeps happening because they have devised a system to protect these employees whom for some reason might break the code of conduct. Clerical errors keep occurring because they not questioned for their unprofessional act of conduct because they are protected and hidden under the umbrella of these big organisation and many a times, the consumer turns to be the victim of their negligence’s.

And the reason for the high rate of consumer complaint being handled by complaint bodies is because mistakes cost money and admitting this will cost additional money, so they try to defend an obvious error rather than giving reward. 

What are the protocols, policies and work ethics to be followed to protect consumer rights and help the consumer for once, to aid a hearing of his/her voice/misdealt issues? The number of cases pending to be heard as a result of such disputes is outrageous and it shows the level and how matters have gone bad to worse, but this high figure of dispute cases would have been reduced if any service provider for a consumer was vigilant and has some strict rules incompetent employees who do not follow the professional act of conduct and values instilled within the business for progress for customer relations.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

June 2023

The brain is one of the powerfullest and most vital organs to be found on the human body so it important to protect it, nourish it and feed it when necessary. The human brain is a one unique organ that can tell a lot about the human behaviour and character and sometimes this behaviour can be psychological predicted based on brain impulses which determines most of the decisions we make and determines character. 

However, no matter what character you exhibit, the need for mental health is essential and can not be taken for granted. In the face of adverse pressure and chaos, we handle these stress in a different manner, but its effect can either be minimal of maximal depending on the state of mind however, it is essential to avoid any situation which causes such effect, if possible. Your mental health is of vital importance and the side effect of ignoring signs of danger could lead to a catastrophic situation. Cases and of suicide, homicides stories and other self-inflicting injuries comes because  people find themselves of not being able to refrain or handle adverse stress situations and pressure. 

We hear from the news of sport athletes, entertainers, and other public figures retreating from an organised event due to many reasons however, it is mostly as a result of mental health that causes such situation. People of such calibre have all the resources to be directed in the right way but and still, not all are able to handle such situation. 

As individuals, the best way to avoid any situation that poses threat to your mental health is avoidance. Finding an environment of place with people of likeminded or loved ones who can show support and encouragement. Peacefulness is achieved at the level of finding serenity for your mental health whatever the situation might be.

Taking precautions is the best way to protect your mind set from being diluted or polluted by your state of mind. 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

September 2023

Becoming an entrepreneur is a huge task which if not carefully considered for what is worth could lead to some catastrophic result. It is a rough and narrow path to take and even if you manage to have all the resources at your disposal to scale and grow, you can unexpectedly have all the resources running down the drain if no-good risk mitigation plan is observed. Everyone can be an entrepreneur but there are few entrepreneurs out there who have the exposure and experience of being through thick and thin situation. One attribute that a good entrepreneur exhibits is self-confidence and intuition. Believing in yourself and your capabilities is an asset and can be a game changer when the tides are against you. This behavioural trait comes out in the face problems.

Resilient is the key to overcoming and riding over steep path when operating a business but having a resilient mind set is a character that is built within each individual. The scale factor depends on many reasons however, this is what determines any decisions made and the direction of your business. I once mentioned in a one of the notes on this page about the risk factor which is essential and crucial trait for an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs are risk takers and being resilient sometimes calls for taking huge risk that might seem extraordinary to the ordinary person. The reason many businesses fail in the UK during the initial stage of operation is due to not having a resilient mindset. Venturing into an enterprise is a big challenge that cannot be accomplished without resilience. This becomes necessary in the face of chaos and atrocities where you are faced with challenges and tests which require self confidence on your business model and your capabilities to make it work. People might call such stories crazy but to the real entrepreneur, stories about people going through the extreme life challenges just to achieve their ambitions are inspiring. And we all need such inspiring stories as a guideline on our journey to success and believe that no matter what is thrown in your way, you will persevere and endure through the hardship to making your business a success story. 

Remember, Rome was not built in a day so whatever challenges that comes in your way regarding your business goals, keep pushing. Many successful entrepreneurs accomplished success beyond their wildest dreams. So aim high at the sky, if you miss, you will be amongst the stars. 

Author: : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO- Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

December 2023

There is this popular saying ‘curiosity kill the cat ‘However, does this statement prove meaningful at this present day and times?

First of all , it is important to establish the difference in words between curiosity and inquisitive because these words tends to me misinterpreted or used in the wrong context . So for the sake of clarity, I have taken the burden upon my self to search for the definition of both words by making reference to the dictionary. Curiosity is defined by the dictionary as a state in which you want to learn more about something or something unusual worth - perhaps worth collecting. Whilst inquisitive imply as showing curiosity or inquiring or appearing to inquire. Hence the two words can be compared and used in different context within a sentence which often prove not to be the same.

I believe being curios is part of our human nature and it is normal to be inquisitive but to what extent would it be classified as absurd or extreme? 

We could not have survived this long on planet earth if it was not for human behavioural ways, one of which is our curiousness which has led us to many scientific discoveries and breakthroughs. However, there is seemed to be the negative misconception about being curios due to the extreme nature in which shown thus, being inquisitive. As much as we would debate on this issue, the media plays a very important role in serving the public with information however, it is also prevalent that some organisations go the extreme lengths to collect information. Be it legal or illegal. Where the information attained may be correct or incorrect but meaningless to the subject matter. Here, the authenticity of the information is irrelevant but rather if the information was attained by meeting professional standards.

This scenario can be applied to individuals as a whole where anxiety takes the best part of us to do the unnecessary act of being inquisitive sometimes at the extreme lengths.

We live in an advanced technological world where information is the king so it comes as no surprise that the internet, since it discovery has turned into a gold mine. We have people who have mastered in the art of false access to unauthorised data and information on any computing device and electronic gadgets. Nowadays hackers go to the extreme lengths to intrude into people’s privacy to attain confidential information and on the contrary, this same method is allowed by law enforcement agencies to retrieve information on fraudulent activities.

Hence it is fair to conclude that the saying; ‘Curiosity kill the cat’ can only be interpreted for any act within the context of the phrase which is deemed unacceptable, thus illegal, unauthorised, extreme or unnecessary . 

I believe is our God giving rights to be curios and to be able to discover new ways of improving our living conditions on planet earth if ethical conditions are always considered. 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO- Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

March  2024

We find ourselves a times, in situations where we question decisions taken and direction taken previously due to unexpected outcomes or shortcoming of event that was not meant to be. Our purpose in life is driven by our goals, ambition and principles. And  this is what determines the fundamental decision we make as a direction towards fulfilling a goal however, these directions may sometimes pose a challenge and the ability to manage it becomes relevant.

We have experienced this situation on a day-to-day basis either on a social, domestic or professional level, it is clear though that negligence could be associated in most cases to the end result in all the levels mentioned and managing theses challenges requires a certain mind set which is prone to certain discipline.

The best exposure and experience I can use in relation to the subject matter is project management. Managing a project is a tedious task and it requires a vigilant character who is in that state of mind to control and manage the affairs during the project life cycle. Now during the life span of the project, certain decisions are put in place because of the method, directions and processes that are to be followed. These are normally outlined in the project proposed documents and some of the most vital section of these document comes in the form of risk management processes. This document identifies, defines and provides proposed mitigation measures needed to resolve and managerial and technical issues during the lifespan of the project. The risk register should be able to even provide detailed information quantitively severity and the impact of the risk as well as first and second risk mitigation methods.

The reality on managing a project brings back this analogy into discussion since every new project, once it has not been done before poses a risk that is never identified until the final stages when it becomes apparent on addressing it. A good risk management plan will always  make room for it and possibly predict certain measures to be taken to avoid severe impact of the project itself. 

Hence, the phrase “had I known is always at last “is a familiar term  from a project managers perspective  especially when dealing with a new innovative projects fresh out of the shelves . 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO- Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

June   2024

From time immemorial, mankind have exhibited survival skills on different levels with the aim of venturing into something new that often provides a better way of life and comfort . Off course, it is part of the human trait to be adventurous by trying new things now and then. Trying new things in this contest exploring is what the subject matter is highlighting. This trait is rare nowadays due to so many factors , however considering the fast pace in which the world is evolving , it becomes apparent why this shift in trend for mankind. This leaves most of us with less exposure, not had the glimpse of capturing and experiencing natural occurrences.

We are in the era where information is easy accessible and due to this, many are reluctant to take a leap on first hand experience and learning . This golden era is an opportunity for us to explore higher dimensions of the universe and our surroundings using the abundance of information as guide to explore and discover something new as individuals. 

It is no more a survival instinct to try something new nowadays which is a luxury our forefathers never had however, they created a path to living where adventure was the ultimate price and as such we owe it to ourselves to follow that trend of pushing the boundaries further by being trying new things now and then .

Author : Emmanuel Victpr Quarm

CEO- Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

September 2024

My top five list of the best digital prototyping tools for user experience design and user interface design currently on the market. This include some of the sought after, state of the art,  user experience and user interface tools. Please note that no preferences are given in accordance to numbering, listing or the  arrangement order on this page.

• In-vision      : I classify this as one of the best prototyping tool on the market for UX      and UI design project because of many factors however what fascinates me      most is its visual effect on the user interface once you log on. The front      panel is packed  with a lot of options from the menu to the      dashboard. You can complete most task without any intensive tutorial as a      result of the user friendly UI. I personally recommend this to any      professional UX&UI designer starting any major project.
• Axure      :  The very best - One unique feature that separate Axure from the      many  UX or UI prototyping tools  is its compatibility      properties. Its enables easy access of files and gives the option to      import and export files from other sources with ease. With its great      visual effect studios, from the dash board right through to the tool bar ,      from the menu bar . Users can work  their way through design work      saved and imported from other source format and improve the quality of      work through various design options provided.
• UX      Pin : This tool was one of my first digital prototyping tools for UX and      UI design ever used , i remember using the free trial version for a while      before i got on the full version  but just for a short period. Its a      smart , flexible and a great value for money application. You cant stop      using it once you are engulfed in its dynamic but yet simplified task bar      design for the UI. It is easy to navigate your way through on a any task      and also gives the option for import and export. All in all , i would say      you get a great product with a great technical support,  ready to      help you and see you through your projects.
• Adobe      XD : An exceptional digital prototyping tool if you are familiar with the      adobe brand , however they do have additional tools within the adobe suite      with the same job function but XD takes it a bit further as far as UX/UI      design is concerned. The advantage of having a suite of software packages      for visual effect design and analysis is that you get the flexibility it      offers in switching between tools as a functionality. This brings many      benefits to the users and encourages collaborative work between users just      like all the above mentioned tools. However, users here have a much wider      option than the above mentioned tools.
• Webflow      : is a digital prototyping UX/UI designer tools specifically for website      design and development projects. It comes with a stunning flexible UI      which makes it easier for users to work around web application      development. One great feature with this tools is the possibility to      render and convert your whole design without coding. This means you can      easily convert any design drafted into lines of codes without the need to      be an expert on computer programming 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

June 2020

We are presently in the fourth industrial revolutions and this era is predicted to be much more "innovatech" than previous industrial revolutions that mankind has already witnessed. The is a fact and can be acknowledged by the many state of the art innovations and technologies (innovatech) that made it possible through the transitioning period but most importantly, are the emerging technologies that would enhance mankind's new way of living for a better future as a result of the internet of things.

And as technology advances , we face the facts that can no longer be ignored , thus , we engineers can no longer do away with computer aided engineering software packages for systems design, analysis and assessment and even for domestic task . The mobile phone application market is a typical example of how significant it is to maximise the usability of CAE tools. We have seen a huge increase of mobile apps on the market from both android and IOS platforms which in some aspect are considered as productivity apps for enhancing images,drawings and objects for the purpose of design task by users. However, this trend has seen a tremendous change and CAE developers now are pushing the boundaries on the mobile platform sphere. Personally, i feel the real challenge is to do with the kind and the type of task that could be done on the mobile platform due to GPU and CPU capacity for complex simulations and modelling tasks hence , its gets to a point where its limitations can not be pushed feather at a certain level on the forefront but it is a vital requirement that can not be ignored for the future and today's engineers with the " on the go" mindset."

It is amazing how far we have come from using , developing and making simulation packages much efficient . I remember almost seventeen years ago at the University laboratory where i had the task of designing and building a product (supper sonic nozzle) , back then, there were just a few CAE (CFD )software applications on the market and most could not fully be used to solve and perform all the problems that transpired during the project life cycle phase. My initial design from my calculations meant i could not use only MATLAB to perform all the tasks that was required in order to get a perfect computer model from the simulation as a result 

of the high powered gas flow proper gating from the cutting kerf. This resulted in using mat-CAD/Auto-CAD to generate the geometry at a preferred elevation which enabled me to also calculate and determine the pressure ratios between the two types of nozzle being used - Conical and Laval nozzles. The whole set-up was later

generated using Auto-CAD for the purpose of documentation whilst relying on MS excel to present data and making sense finally,  of all the data generated data from using both MAT-CAD and MATLAB.

Users of CAE application tools nowadays do not go through such an ordeal in order to achieve such excellence and this is mainly due to systematic software modifications and improvement for the past 20 years now. The future of CAE is gearing towards a much more use-friendly , flexible and interactive software user-interface where emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and augmented reality are now playing a major role on some of new upgraded PLM platforms. This will eventually enable the ease on solving any problem within the area of specification and subject matter of speciality; be it Fluid dynamics, acoustics, thermal, photonics, manufacturing, electromagnetic, NVH etc.

However, the real excitement and challenges lies within the impact and application of CAE and PLM software platforms on emerging technologies enabled by the internet of things for connected devices and sensors as a catalyst for industry five.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

September   2020

The state of agile software development is at its all time high peak level as a result of industry four coupled with emerging technologies and although significant adjustments have been made on the processes, methods and techniques on how we conduct and manage software developments projects for flexible, cost effective, reduce time and efficiency however, there are still flaws within some of the very best agile software development approaches for large scale projects deployments and engineers are faced with scaling up challenges for some of the very best leading agile enterprise methods .

This problem is mainly due to the nature and  focus as well as the main objectives for any software development project  . The customer experience and market dynamics is always considered within this framework but never considered at the very beginning of any project as a prerequisite strategic

plan and when its it considered, there is not much attention given to initial market data analytics.

On the contrary, Customer experience and market dynamics under any software development project should be considered at the very beginning of any software development project especially at the enterprise level, 

in doing so we eliminate many mistakes during the entire project life-cycle management phase. Hence , time , money and major resources are controlled in a much efficient manner.This approach is known as the "Q- approach ", a methodology which considers consumer or the end users design input at the very first stage of any software development project management routine.

It is important to understand the conventional methods and paradigm within agile software developments at the enterprise level in order to appreciate the " Q- approach  and it is equally important to understand 

the work frame philosophy within each methods in order to appreciate Q- approach as a legitimate route required within the enterprise agile software development framework approaches.

For this purpose , we consider the scrum software development methods as the most popular agile software development method for scaling up large scale enterprise project management objectives. Under this  

methodology, we can identify three leading approaches of much significance with regards to large scale software development according to a recent white paper by select computing incorporated Ltd .  This include ;

i.The scaled agile framework - SAFe by Dean Leffinwell

ii. The disciplined agile farame work - DAD by Scott Ambler 

iii. Large scale scrum framework - LeSS  by Craig Larman and Bas Vodde

while, the main objectives of the above mentioned approaches have similar aims and goals ,their focus on accomplishing any deliverable is centred on different strategies . The scaled agile framework - SAFe is 

much more centred on the team , programme and portfolio, whilst the disciplined agile framework - DAD is a centred on much more interactive learning platform ensuring that knowledge and people are the benchmark 

for success in any agile project life-cycle management. The Large scale scrum framework - LeSS, prioritises work on any agile software development based on the size and resources available.  

It has come to my attention upon full analytical review of most of the methodologies and routines in project management for scaling large enterprise that most agile software development projects lack the market dynamics feedback from consumers. This is even so for the approaches that put much emphasis on learning through the entire project life-cycle development phase, this comes as a result of routine re-adjustment and re-modification of the traditional methods within the enterprise agile framework where the focus is on team, resources and the infrastructure available. It is however vital, for software design architectural engineers and project managers to consider the market dynamics for scaling within a large agile enterprise framework.

At Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd , we have adopted the Q-approach methods as our main approach for large scale enterprise agile software development work. Through a series of market research activities , we identify the core design elements which can alter consumer demand trends for software development with regards to design framework. A full report on the Q-approach is scheduled to be published later this year, the content of the white paper entails full scope of work and the step by step descriptions , methods and activities required as well as the resources needed. The day to day work routine project management for the entire Enterprise agile software development for the Q-approach is based on thorough research work over the past years on ascertaining and solving challenges within the large scale enterprise software development industry . 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

December   2020

I consider this subject matter as a very important topic based on the technological transformation and the impact of computer programming in the science and technology industry and for that matter any industry as a whole. Anyone with a passion for software development will be able to tell you some of the frustrations and excitements in coding but also how computer programming languages have changed since the last decade. Some very popular languages from the past like FORTRAN, PASCAL , PEARL just to mention a few are no longer mentioned nowadays by reviewers when talking about popularity , however, popularity nowadays, also refers to ease of use.

My experience with pascal was a no good experience but i realise this after getting on board with C and C++ and although i struggled to write better codes with pascal, it felt different coding in C++ and this was purely based on how the C++ is written but also due to the fact that i started learning one of the complex computer programming languages as an entry level to computer engineering field. Most engineers nowadays will list Python,Java and C++ as the top languages for almost all applications and upon reflection on this matter,  i ask myself why some of the these languages keep fading away or is there a possibility of making it better. After all, the inventor of python- Guido Van Rossum's original work is not what we see today with regards to the python programming language. it was however, recognised by many engineers of its good qualities and characteristics for open source and this helped in the gradual improvement to its present form. 

This brings me to the topic of smart coding and how important it is for today's computer software industry. I use the term smart coding not just for observing the core principles in computer programming but also any code that is written with concern and consideration made to reduce trace of bugs in written code script lines, inefficient usage of  GUI, GPU and CPU processes as well power consumption's. Thus , a smart coding should allows already written code scripted lines to be maintained either in the future or present.

Computer programming is still the number one on demands skill for engineers , scientist and IT professionals and although it has been argued that the emergence of artificial intelligence and machine learning would eventually alter this trend by enabling automation in code writing by AI , it is still vital and a relevant skill And With the growing number of interconnected devices relying on software applications  enabled by the internet of things, it is upon us developers to consider smart coding as a guide in maximising resources for computer programming in a sustainable manner.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

March   2021

Have you ever been in a situation where you have tried transferring a CAD work from one format to another format where you were faced with complications . Well, this is due to the fact that there are at the moment two major owners of the CAD kernel used by most software developers and they are licensed by either Dassault or by Siemens. 

But before we get into this I would like to shed light on the CAD Kernel itself. This is generally a 3D geometric programme which is used to alter and translate complex mathematical functions into 3D geometric shapes within CAD programs and software. The two major owners of the copy rights and royalties developed this about thirty years ago and they have maintained a clear monopoly on this however , they have been several attempt by other small businesses and start-ups on developing from scratch a new ,modern CAD kernel. This is not an easy task as it requires a different skill compared to coding especially with regards to mathematical functions and algebraic expressions. 

Now , let me get to the initial subject matter where I stressed on the issue on complication with transferring CAD work from different CAD . This has been critical problem in the past but however this is not an issue anymore as the issues has been rectified. The complications now which exist is transferring a file format from the two vendors , this because both Siemens and Dassault systems have a their CAD KERNEL built in a different manner and all the CAD software companies using  any of the mentioned vendors are faced with customer relations issues as a result of trying to switch  files from one user to the other. 

A new standardised form of CAD kernel could potentially help resolve issues from switching from one software to the other.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

June 2021

The design framework for the past decade has shift it’s focus on security mainly due to the internet of things and industry four. The emerging technologies within the science and technology industry requires rigorous changes to be made in order to establish a standardised plain field where the same language can be understood between developers, designers, engineers , users and architect . Artificial intelligence for once is gradually setting its grounds in software development and its application transcends from the modern homes , marine engineering, aeronautics  and automotive engineering , just to mention a few.  

It is however, not clear how security challenges encountered by professionals in this field are handling some of these issues due to previous fundamental security negligence which has engulfed the entire industry. In the past years , it was safe using a password to access your email and other online services however, this has changed as hackers and security expert find loopholes in todays software architecture. The two steps login system is a typical example on how the end user has become venerable to threat and precautions taken by developers to address this challenge . 

However, the main issue to be addressed transcends far beyond this as a result of the fourth industrial revolution which converges some of the most complex ideologies into technology . Enabling emerging technologies like automation within manufacturing ,machine learning ,augmented reality ,artificial intelligence and quantum computing for future application would require developers and engineers to put security by design on the highest priority .  Just imagine any flaw occurring as a result of security failure for an autonomous vehicle on the highway or a flaw occurring as a result of security failure on data leakage , controlled by artificial intelligence within the banking industry.  The adverse effect would be catastrophic and reason why most engineers and developers in the industry are demanding for changes in security protocols  to address industry four security challenges.

I personally believe that it is vital to have a common standardised security protocol guidelines to be observed by every manufacturer, by so doing , an implementation is made to address security chaos.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

September 2021

The advent of the internet of things and other emerging technologies has enabled so many possibilities that could not be imagined in the past. Imagine the possibility of automated laboratory where there is no need to be manned – Man less , all enabled by the use of automated technology. At the moment, majority of the state of the art laboratories still require some sort of a manly controlled technology and although artificial intelligence technology has enabled a lot , it is still in its initial phases and we are yet to see the full potential that can be derived from this technology. 

We have come from far, from the times of analogue gadgets like meters , oscilloscope , transistors and large computer monitors and CPU’s to highly intelligent and smart gadgets which are able to communicate to each other via interconnected devices enabled by sensors , and the internet of things . Artificial intelligent through machine learning has paved a way for this state of the art, innovative technology. Any laboratory which is able to operate autonomously by certain standards as a result of artificial intelligence can be labelled as smart Laboratory but why smart laboratory and why is this so vital for the future of advanced digital manufacturing.

The emergence of technologies such as quantum computing, High intelligence robotics, artificial intelligent ,automation , augmented reality , autonomous vehicles , highly intelligent navigational systems , satellite and tracking systems , EV cars with state of the art battery technology, telematics and other emerging technologies means there is the demand and the need to provide a more innovative environment where manufacturing processes and systems design operations can be provided in a much efficient manner and in a cost effective manner while maintaining sustainability and flexibility by maximising resources . The gradual building process of smart laboratory throughout the entire continent is a reflection of how expert , scientist and engineers perceive the future of advanced digital manufacturing and in an effort to meet the goals for the future.

At the moment , a typical smart laboratory should at least entail a certain elements of smart technology to be able to be qualified as one . This is not limited to high performance computing system ( HPC ) with remote and cloud capabilities. Highly smart interconnected sensors and hard wares to enable effective communication between installed electronic gadget and equipment. High performance cloud enabled and other networks for systems manufacturing, design , testing and validation work . This should be the basic technological infrastructure which could enable smart laboratory in line with the demands ahead of us as a result of industry four and the transition to industry five for advanced digital manufacturing.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

December  2021

We are gradually catching up with the age of smart automation for many aspect of our lives by means of making our day to day living much more convenient but most importantly efficient due to the fact that we are learning how to use resources much more efficient, And as we make a transition to the forth industrial revolution , these technologies will play a vital role in making sure that resources are maximised to its full use. Connected devices and sensors are the key components and players here with regards to the internet of things and without this there will be no smart automation. 

A typical industry which is experiencing a fast change is the automotive industry as a result of industry four which enables all the vital element for the perfect vehicle to be manufactured. The UK and many countries are now making a fast transition into the production of EV powered vehicle as well as hydrogen powered vehicles but what are the difference in the approach and technology behind these two technologies and what makes them so special to be considered and favoured.

Well , first comes the factor of fuel consumption which is far less better compared to the a petrol fuelled vehicle so the argument is clear from this point onwards. With EV and hydrogen powered vehicles , I always use the market scenario in the 1980’s when Beta-mac and VHS video player where both launched on the market . The market reaction and the aftermath played an important role in determining the better product and although the dynamics for the automotive market might be different it is still too early to tell which of the two technologies are the best. 

I personally prefer an electric car based on many factors and the pace at which the battery technology is advancing gives me hope that this can be the vehicle of the future however I can not rule out the hydrogen powered cars impact on the environment when climate change is a matter of much concern. , it is important to note that both technology are still at its early stages and a breakthrough in research can be a game changer so Rather than talking about the engineering behind each vehicle , I would rather discuss the advantages of both 

- EV cars are much cheaper than hydrogen cars 

- EV cars are much safer than hydrogen cars 

- Hydrogen powered cars are environmentally friendly

- Public transport will favour hydrogen technology due to infrastructure and networks

- EV has more fuelling station compared to hydrogen powered vehicles due to sales 

Many research companies had initially invested heavily in EV vehicle manufacturing and large battery plant research stations but hydrogen powered energy is catching up and this is mainly due to information available through research on making this much more safer and cheaper for the consumers but there is still a lot to be done to meet the EV technology in regards to consumer sustenance.

We can not be placed in a better position than this as we head towards a net zero emission for the future of transportation and I hope both technologies can thrive side by side without the market facing a beta-mac against VHS scenario   

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

March  2022

I believe every scientist at one point wants an appreciation shown for any efforts and contributions in raising standards of living in this day in life. We cannot forget some of the the great scientist/engineers who paved the way for technologies like the internet, the telephone, the television and many more. 

However, there is one technology that seems to be disregarded and underestimated through the eyes of many, even some professional scientist. I am talking about LASER Technology (light amplification of stimulated emitted radiation) Lasers comes in all forms, from solid state to gaseous however, its development with regards to methods varies according to every application. The principles and concepts on the development of a laser component is purely, electro-optical-mechanical often coupled with information technology systems for control and data analysis.

For the sake of my readers, I will not be delving too much into the complex physics and engineering behind most of the subject matters on this page but rather concentrate on delivering the message in a manner where even the lay person can read and grasp something.

I came from a laser engineering background and I was really antagonised at the level of information about this technology when I graduated. Most recruiters could not associate your knowledge to anything else but industrial machines, which on the contrary, can be patronising only if they know what applications and area of expertise this cuts across. 

The applications of laser technology is very much dependent on computing engineering for most and there would not be any breakthrough without computer science. It is obvious though that its core applications are mainly associated in the heavy industrial sector such as automotive, aeronautics, manufacturing, and telecommunication. However it also forms part of our day to day life and people do not realise or acknowledge the fact that life would have been very uncomfortable without this technology.

The bar code reader is a typical example of the laser at its best performance. This simple but yet fascinating device can be found in every working environment in this modern day. But how relevant is it, how will life be without this. Imagine how logistics would be like without this technology or buying food from the groceries. The fundamentals science behind this device is embodied in lines of codes printed on items that recognises each bar code as a separate entity to enable us to differentiate between products. Data is centralised in a stored location on a server for any future analysis. 

How possibly can this not be intriguing or fascinating to the lay person.  

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

June   2022

I am of the view that many businesses favour the use of the Microsoft operating systems and this can be proven as a fact as many businesses globally use this on a daily basis however, the function of an operating system for business purposes should conform to a specific business activities. This is generally because a computer operating system should have features and functionalities which are compatible, usable, flexible, visible as well as affordable. These factors could be reason why many businesses use MS operating systems in the homes as well as businesses .

In this day and age - The information technology era, an operating system should be considered a vital part of any business mainly, due to the fact that it administers your entire business portfolio, plans and models on one controlled computer software interface. This controlled software interface should be considered in the conventional sense as the built mechanism for your file-folder storage system, your tools storage system as well as your communication link to prospective client as well as security. From this perspective, it is much clearer why any business’s requirement may be different and why it is important to assess business model for the right operating systems.

There are several operating systems in existence however, my focus will be on just computer operating systems like the Macintosh operating systems- Mac OS, the google chrome operating systems- Chrome OS , Microsoft operating systems – MS OS and many other open-source operating systems  like the Linux, Unix, Ubuntu and Debian.

They all have a different software architecture framework design and although most can be used to perform normal day to day tasks, their main function and design framework is entirely meant to meet a specific work programme or task. 

So, let now consider an example of these business requirements that might require the need for another operating system rather than an MS OS. A graphic design business or a building architect design business’s ideal requirement for design will be ultimately well met using the MAC OS due to stable and fast graphical interface speed which helps in design flow work. An engineering business requirement is ultimately tied on choosing speed, memory, space and good graphics and I personally think MS OS, MAC OS and Google OS will meet any of these business requirements when configured in the right way. For computer programming experts and coders, the opensource operating systems provides a perfect platform for interactions and exploration where programmers can either extend a function on the operating system for it’s own specific business requirements. This has proven to be popular among many computer app developing businesses and engineers working in the multitasking environment.

Small businesses with minimum resources can rely on the open source because most of the tools can be installed for free however its limitations on not being able to use most application tools developed specifically for MAC OS, MS OS and google OS can be rectified by using web application tools if available. Most opensource operating systems like the linux/Unix offer tools to be installed for app compatibility within its own domain. 

Now the real challenge is being able to tailor your business requirements to the best operating system that offers best value for money and I believe productivity and efficiency also depends on making the right choice for your ‘built mechanism’ – The computer operating system 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

September  2022

More than 60 years ago, a research engineer named Gordon Moore made a very interesting prediction upon his investigation into the development of transistors for electronics components. He predicted that the number of transistors will double every year until it reached 65000 by the year 1975. This prediction proved to be true, and it was later revised to become the Moore’s Law. He noticed the rate and demand for more speed and computing power as well as the possibility of making transistors even cheaper. So, his assumptions came from an economic point of view of the electronics industry in the early days.

Moving forward to this modern day and age where the microchip industry has advanced because of new methods and techniques of mounting transistors on a chip. Is logical to say that Moore’s law might just fulfil a philosophical meaning rather than a law. Many scientist and engineers, argue on this based on the fact that the conditions under which this prediction was made, no longer holds but there is other scientist who oppose this idea by doing all possible means to conform and uphold the Moore’s law. In fact, from mathematical point of view, Moore’s law expressed an exponential factor of growth and speed, but exponentials always have a limit and thus comes to an end.  This implies that from this modern day’s perception, sustainability plays a major factor in manufacturing and there should be more innovative ways to deliver speed and performance if there is any advancement to be seen in the industry. 

As I mentioned there are other companies still conforming to the guide by a way of initiating a ten percent increase in electronics however, I believe its time we give this a break and concentrate on more innovative ways in opto-electronics which will enable new microchips to be manufactured based on current cutting edge research breakthrough which might be currently at our disposal. 

Gordon Moore was a true visionary and great scientist who paved the way for the design and development of the modern microchip. His contributions to the industry will be remembered even after my generation because innovation is accomplished by learning from the past technologies but as far as physics is concerned, I don’t think his approach and methods will be relevant for the future industry but rather a valid one. 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

December  2022

I became a computer fanatic as far back in 1993 when my brother used to work on his PC learning DOS. Those huge diskettes occupied everywhere on his desk and somehow, I got inquisitive on knowing what DOS was. 

Looking back, it amazes me on the progress made on information technology and its infrastructure currently in place to enable IoT devices. 

Buying a computer for either domestic home usages or your normal day to day business activities nowadays does not require much information to get the computer you want. It was different back in 2000, when I purchased my first AMD CPU processor. Back then, the intel Pentium series processor was just out on the market and was a huge success, but it was also expensive. I had a limited budget, but I did not let that compromise my high computing specification standards. I did some research work and then bought any CPU that meets my required specifications. I went against the norms and chose the best AMD processor ever to be used at the Hostel where I resided. Considering how unpopular it was, back then, I managed to use this for five years in operation without any problems. 

The market dynamics of the computing industry keeps changing and this is mainly driven by the huge electronics consumer market. The solid-state, semi-conductor, computing micro-chip industry and design of computing processors are controlled by companies mainly based in Asia, USA as well as Europe. The recent shortage of computing micro-chips brought a lot of attention on the future market dynamics and who the big players were. And while these big industries’ trademarks stamps are not seen on your regular computers, it is rather the design processor-CPU trademarks and the software trademarks that is normally shown. From an engineering point of view, this is the reality of understanding the components and parts that forms any product and realising that the target market for the micro-chip industries is far bigger than just CPU computing industry. This is evidently seen on most recent electronic gadget in many aspects of lives from smart TVs, mobile phones, fridges, vehicles to our cookers, the electronic micro-chip might as well be relevant than it is deemed. 

My focus on this post is rather on computer processor designing companies like Intel, AMD, QUALCOMM and ARM as well as Nvidia just to mention the few major known ones. AMD , for the first time in 15 years made some huge market gains in the first quarters of 2021 against Intel according to Mercury research , this shows how dominant Intel Corporation has been for the past few years with regards to CPU sales. The competition for speed, power and performance has enabled solutions for more sophisticated electronics design for transistors architecture and in light of having as many micro-chips placed on a single board to enable computing performance, engineers are faced with technical issues and security flaws which could be targeted by hackers as a gateway within computer hardware architecture. 

As far as I am aware, none of the above-mentioned companies can be left out of the discussion on this matter. So how can these companies ensure that the next generation of computing processing units -CPU and graphical processing units -GPU can withstand the test of time.  I still believe the answer lies in the hardware architecture design framework. Computing speed, power, and performance are so important but can also not be compensated with security flaws and other vulnerabilities and the solutions to this is finding more convenient ways and space on placing more chips on circuits boards for great performance. 

As Moore’s law gradually diminishes, the way forward in CPU hardware design architecture could potentially be considering and enabling Nano-chip design innovation using lithographical technological approaches to disrupt the industry. I see this as a major future innovation breakthrough research, as we enter industry four. 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

March 2023

Last year November 2020, I touched on the topic on security by design and the focus had much broader scope than usual, so I have decided to emphasis more on this by focusing on online accounts. Since the slow declination usage of the Netscape browser which was popular during the late nineties. We have seen the rise in popularity of usage of browsers such as the MS explorer, the google chrome, Firefox-Mozilla and apple Mac - safari just to name a few. In fact, any developer can make his/her own browser however, compatibility issues limit usage on visiting many websites due to design strategies used by most web host or web designers. It is an exposure worth having to appreciate the existence of this so-called popular browsers. 

Internet browsers came up during the early stages of the internet revolution as a result of the world wide web- WWW bubble, a tool with a specific function to engage directly with the physical server through web navigation via the usage of web address to visit any web page, anywhere in the world. 

The design and user interface for the few mentioned browsers above are not the same however, they do have one common function of keeping the end user fully enticed or indulged to their favourite website, as a result, there could be some compromises made by the end user without noticing the effect. The steady impact and negative effect of data breaches has brought about immediate changes to the way our data is handled online but there is still a lot to be done. 

Nowadays, information is shared online in so many ways, and it is important that the end user takes charge on whatever information is given. This is however a complicated case because any website visited online is administered using your favourite browser, but also any information collected from any visited page is not necessarily administered by your browser. And although your browser might store information such as your most visited pages, password, search results and cache etc, the end user has the option to alter the settings for safe browsing, but this cannot be achieved without having a safe secured online account. A typical example is being ask for your consent to accept the terms and conditions whilst visiting a webpage. By accepting any terms and conditions outlined, you have given the permission for some of your daily online browsing behaviour to be monitored. These cookies either act in a positive or negative way depending on the dynamics but the real issue here is not about that but rather cyber security vulnerabilities

This has posed serious issues to big companies losing out on customer’s data due to failure to implement right internet security infrastructure or cyber security guidelines.  In May 2018, The GDPR – General Data protection regulations came into full effect which allowed a bit of security in terms of how data is handled, kept and shared by organisation. 

Now three years onwards, we are still faced with issues of data breaches with hackers developing new ways of getting information from website where most information are kept on either a portal or account settings. I believe it is worth having an ICT security standard in place for any online operating business to observe and put in place secure online log in systems. The period of using just a password is no longer safe and hackers now have an overwhelming possibility to get your details. 

If we can ensure that every business operating in the UK online, can propose a safe route by having a facility for password security check such as either two step methods via phone, fingerprint, facial recognition, or a pin. This will adversely limit the amount of data breaches and bring back the confidence for the online customer and encourage the end users digital experience.  

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

June 2023

I talked about computer micro chip design and some of the security flaws within the design architectural framework on my June Post which emphasised on the need for a more robust security foundation in the design of computer hardware delivery systems.

 

Systems designers are now aware of some of the loopholes within computer hardware design framework architecture which easily gives away unauthorised attacks and intrusion, but this cannot be overlooked by active work being done to resolve these problems. The fact that software security design programmes are executable by computer electronic built architecture compromises many security initiatives and this is primarily due to having well documented process of action which could be accessed. The implications when a programmable function is allowed to be executable on the computer processor controlled by either unauthorised or authorised person can lead to security breaches since the required security information can be easily accessed.

However, FPGA, on the other hand provides a different route to computer security architecture as security rendering is done on the computer hardware rather than the software.  The Security vulnerability scale for normal computer hardware controlled by a software function on the processor is very high compared to field programmable gateway array - FPGA because it is programmed and designed to initiate a gateway which bypasses any security control implemented via the FPGA accelerator. FPGA blocks are becoming much more popular at huge data centres and in design fledging industries where requirements need to be changed every now and then. 

I have always been an advocate on computer security design works especially, the hardware architecture and I believe that is the best way forward in tackling unauthorised intrusion and cyber security attacks due to the difficulty hackers are faced cracking the FPGA block.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

September 2023
 

The application of lasers in material processing has been in existence for a while now and the industry has kept up the pace to meet market demands with regards to quality, time to market and cost . However, many expert including myself, believe that there is unlimited possibilities in sector fields,  methods and techniques which have not yet been explored. In fact, we have just scratched the surfaces of the real potential this technology offer for the future of the material processing industry.

Using laser as a tool replaced many conventional industrial material processing methods but the application of laser in each methods or technique cannot be simply defined by the methods or the physical technique being used. That is why many of the industry techniques used nowadays for laser material processing can not afford to disregard the type of laser used. 

Many of the laser material processing techniques such as laser welding , laser cutting , laser engraving , laser drilling , laser sintering or laser spot welding require a specific defined type of laser that can perform extremely better that the rest . For a physicist designing any type of laser for a material application such as the few mentioned above must consider so many factors that come into play such as the physical properties of the lasers which makes it ideal for the application in question. It is also imperative that these ideal qualities meet any requirements and specifications in regard to the working materials and their properties. 

One of the unique properties of the Diode lasers is its beam properties, its actually exhibits two axis unlike any other laser, The short axis and the long axis. This can be beneficial for many research applications. I pioneered the welding of polymer materials using high powered diode lasers developed as prototypes version from a high-powered diode laser welding machine for welding polymers as my project work. Welding polymers is a difficult task however, its application could reach all sectors in the industry. 

The challenge was to find the best suitable laser for the job. Choosing Diode lasers was mainly due to my solid-state physics backgrounds which gave me a firm ground on how I could manipulate beam properties in laser propagation mode. I justified my choice with mathematics and physics and proved that it is possible by developing a programmable computer software interface that could control the welding process. I conducted several trials for approximately eight months before successfully achieving a perfect weld seem with a tensile strength, more than 5 times better than conventional methods . 

I recently read in the August edition of the Electro-optics magazine of an UltraWeld joint project between oxford University, Coherent , Glass technology services , CPI , Heriot-Watt, Gooch and Housego and Leonardo working on a project to develop ultrafast laser micro-welding and joining of uncommon materials with different properties, thus glass to metal. 

I can imagine the challenges that such a project brings considering many uncertainties to be resolved however, choosing Ultrafast lasers as a tool cannot be disputed as ultrafast lasers have recently become popular due to their ideal properties for many applications in laser material processing . 

 Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd  

December 2023

There is no doubt that the internet of things -IOT plays a major role on the impact of the advancement of technology but it also pose a security challenge within any IoT architecture framework . Security and connectivity always comes into play when delving into matters relating to the IoT. Nowadays we find most of our mobile devices , home appliances, vehicles , aeroplanes , and ships loaded with connected wireless application technology to enable easy connectivity when required . The Wifi, NFC, blue tooth are just a few examples of the wireless connected application technologies that could be accessed at numerous places with our mobiles devices. 

With security playing a vital role in the future of advanced IoT, it is important to consider the pros and cons of the best wireless technologies which enables connectivity. 

I have been a strong LIFI wireless connectivity enthusiast from the start, and I believe its application in the future would be much useful than predicted. So why has it taken so long for the technology to be recognised and be used on our mobile devices and places. Well, the answer to that is much more than meeting standards required for the technology to be deployed successfully. Light fidelity uses light rather than radio waves to distribute wireless internet connectivity to connected devices. The technology relies on the transmission of light which could be either LED's or lasers. There are other challenges regarding connectivity issues when it was initially announced as a breakthrough technology , this was mainly due to  internet connectivity speed for mobile devices as a result of the source of light – LED used for wireless internet connectivity on connected devices however, funding has allowed research work to be carried out to further improve the efficiency of light transmission emitted by the light emitted diodes - LED's and this has gradually improved connectivity speeds . Light intensity is a major factor when it comes to the usage of this technology and so it is no surprise when researchers turn their focus on using lasers as the source of light. Using lasers increases enormously the speed of internet connectivity, compared to LED’s , this is almost 100Gb/s , thus 100 times faster than 1Gb/s internet speed from an LED source.  However, using laser beam also has its disadvantage which lies within the efficacy rates level but having the right source of laser could be the answer to this problem. Many researchers are considering infrared laser beam source as the ideal light source for the distribution of wireless internet for our connected devices.

One unique factor that makes this technology very much security proof is the fact that light transmission does not travel through walls but rather stays in a confined environment unlike the other internet connected technologies mentioned and for that matter, it provides a safer way of having your device safely connected wherever you may find yourself. The applications and services regarding this in the future can be tremendously huge when this technology is well marketed and deployed. 

This could be used on aeroplanes, ships , restaurants , factory shop floors , hotels and other public facilities without the need to worry about data breaches .

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

March 2024

The law of conservation of energy states that energy can neither be formed or destroyed but rather transformed from one state to the other. Efficiency is harnessed to the fullest when the usage of energy is achieved at every stage along the process of transformation. This analogy can be likened to sustainability however, sustainability relies on resource efficiency. 

Since the industrial revolution era, we have always devised innovative processes to incorporate sustainable ways of designing, developing, manufacturing, and recycling product. However, back then, most of these innovations were seen as only economic benefit for the industry and any other alternative which proves to become more cost beneficial can cause the so-called sustainable approach to be replaced.

This isn’t the case anymore and the global climate change problem seem to pose the most challenging question for this generation on combating global warming and pollution. This generation is faced with the task of implementing new regulation and laws that will see the reduction pollution and global warming. Sustainability will be the catalyst that will drive us to the fourth industrial revolution considering all the emerging technologies that will play a contributing factor on unleashing the potential of this industrial revolution. 

For the fist time in the history of industrialisation, more than half of the worlds energy will be produced from renewable energy however, we cannot still make a smooth transition to industry four without sustainability which means maximising resources in all fields, sectors within any industry. By so doing, we create an industrial culture that considers life cycle as well as end of life cycle of every product or service introduced on the market. Design for remanufacturing, design for recycling will pave the way for new waste management design innovations. Service providers and institutions will find more innovative ways of doing business with the customers without the need to unwanted resources. 

The emergence of the internet of things – IoT, has enabled easy communication channels, smart mobile devices and smart sensors, EV Vehicles, autonomous vehicles, Smart robotics high performance computing- HPC ,etc. All of these play a vital contribution on making the transition to industry four. Learning from our mistakes is a major factor on importance of sustainability for the industry as a whole.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

June 2024

Innovation always set apart the best from the rest and is no different in the automotive industry. Back in the early stages in the car manufacturing industry, there were few competitors all striving to gain traction and capture large share of the market however, none had the foresight like Henry Ford. He saw the future of industrial automotive like none of his competitors and that was what made a successful businessman. Ford automotive industries – Ford Motors, had a very systematic manufacturing process in place that could be compared to none. This idea gradually developed and led to realising the importance of automation and how effective it could increase industrial productivity in all sectors of manufacturing and so this model was adopted by many industrialists all over the world to increase productivity in manufacturing process.

Moving forward to this era shows how far product development in manufacturing have come since the early stages. New methods and improved systematic approach on manufacturing innovation regarding automation paved the way for some of the best production lines ever seen at the factory level and shop floors. 

Robots now play a vital role in enabling automation within assembling lines, and commissioning process of most manufacturing companies. But we are yet to see the full potential of this technology since Robots have yet to replace many of the so-called work categories which are considered dangerous or poses threat to human life or impossible to be accomplished by man. There are also challenges with regards to ethics, but new regulations and legislature makes this much more deployable nowadays than previously. There is also the growing concern within middle class workers about jobs loses or being replaced by robots however, this could be well addressed if the community are informed about the purpose of this technology and its benefit. The future of work keeps evolving as we move into industry four and there is no doubt that more and more human labour forces would have to be replaced by robots however, it is also clear the impact this brings as a domino effect on developing new business models that creates new jobs. This means that the labour work  force will have be upskilled to take on new jobs in the future.

Robots comes in all kinds of forms depending on their field of application but there are more areas of application that are yet to be explored which required further research. Although controls systems engineering play a vital role in the disciplinary field on knowledge based robotics, it would not have progressed to this stage if incorporation of many technologies were not explored. Artificial intelligence is now a subject of interest as researchers become curious on how its incorporation can pave the way to self-learning devices and machines of the future with less supervision. This will not be possible if other aspect of engineering is not considered in the process. The industrial internet of things – IioT, advanced sensors and materials, nano technology, Micromechanical devices - MeM’s , mechatronics and neural engineering are just a few areas that can not be disregarded if we are to see the full potential of robotics.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

September 2024

The reason why thermal management is so vital in today’s product development strategies and techniques is because most devices rely on this for highly efficient performance just like human beings rely on the respiratory system to function. But there is a big difference in regard to the cooling architecture design system and the need to advance on this architecture becomes more and more apparent as we move closer to industry four.

The demand for compact and complex, high performing devices comes with a price for the consumer but poses a big engineering design challenge for product developers because of the factors that needs to be considered to efficiently produce a better product than previous old versions. And thermal management can no longer be disregarded as a minor issue due to size, space, and performance. To be able to successfully model thermal dissipation systems, it is worth considering factors such as material property, fluid property, as well as space, size and application. Simulation can then be performed to predict best use cases that provides best performance under ideal or adverse conditions. 

Elements such as water, oil, mercury, metals, air are crucial materials that preserve the balance between performance of many devices, and these are well incorporated as cooling systems in our everyday devices. They are designed as cooling fins, cooling tubes, cooling vacuum etc to allow the intake of the fluids as an impeding matter to combat heat gains when devices are in use.  

Thermal management is also essential for not just compact device but also operating plants and machines, factory of the future and other state of the art machines however product design poses a big challenge to some of the most delicate micro devices on the market. 

With the advent of new improved materials technology such as graphene, we will be able to realise gain more thermal management success on areas where it was deemed impossible. 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO- Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

There is a common saying in the Tech industry which goes by "A company's biggest and greatest assets is the value within its intellectual properties" and even though this saying is true, it has not yet guaranteed any route to finance for companies who have relied and invested heavily on research and development to ensure they realise the potential use of their intellectual properties as valued intangible assets through funding . Many start-ups in the United states, especially, those in the tech industry are able to secure funding through the means of the use of intangible assets however, this trend is yet to begin in the UK. 

Although the concept is widely accepted , it is yet to gain grounds by many lending institutions. In 2018, the British bank in collaboration with the patent office published a document about using intellectual property to access growth funding. The 24 page document made a very good argument by stating why banks should be able to lend money to small businesses and enterprises who invest or have somehow attained and protected their Intellectual properties. 

As i mentioned earlier, the reality is quite different from the concept in the UK as most banks and financial institutions are still far behind on understanding the value of intangible assets. It is possible that  bank policy makers and regulators are in full support of this idea but until this support transcends to the ordinary branch bank manager , enterprises with good business models and plan will still face hardship getting funds from their local banks. The traditional way of seeking funding which relied heavily on the evidence of business stability and sustainability is still effective and a common reason to provide loan services to businesses but banks now have to grasp the idea of being able to use the value of your IP as collateral or in other words, security guaranteed assets when the need be. So basically, what that means is that the philosophy with financial institutional lending principles and schemes has to change and adapt to this changing times however, the logic behind this is still the same and tangible.

Financial institutions like the bank of Scotland have managed to promote this scheme within partner financial services groups and subsidiaries such as Lombard finances and they are leading the way on this campaign for innovation funding. Close brothers finance also launched an innovative funding scheme for SME's by  the use of IP's to attain funding in 2018 and according to sources and from my own personal visit to the website, the service was no longer in place. This  could be due to many reasons but lets just be optimistic and assume that the website is under maintenance. 

In the UK, many small businesses, especially tech- start-ups invest heavily in intellectual properties after initial launch of their business but few are able to survive after a year or two and this is mainly due to not having sufficient funds to embark on projects. Many of these businesses are not able to use their IP's as a guarantee for finance and as such are left stranded. As a research and development consulting company , Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd is in support of Innovation funding and our campaign on promoting this concept within  the financial institutions is a sign of our commitment and support for Innovation. 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

June 2020

I read an article last month on Facebook about the possibility of UK's economy shrinking to 14% due to the current economic crises as a result of COVID-19. Of-course this was a forecast and prediction based on the current situation. Back in 1706, the UK faced the same turmoil which caused an unprecedented  economic catastrophic events all across the country and the continents as a whole however, it would not be fair to compare these two incidents in the same way due to many factors but rather good to learn from the past and ponder on the economic and social impact of previous crises society.

As entrepreneur, my focus will be on the impact of COVID-19 on small businesses and COVID-19 funding opportunities for small businesses. This is mainly because SME's are the backbone of every economy and 

it is vital that proper measures are put in place to ensure that more businesses survive this terrible period. As we all know , the chancellors's yearly budget for businesses and the UK economy was overshadowed by the quick spread of the pandemic  and it was necessary to put in place further financial support facilities to ensure businesses are protected. It is estimated that the government's rescue package cost the economy  350 billion pound sterling as announced on the 17th of March . This was to provide various funding schemes such as the CBIL loan scheme and the bounce back loan scheme; grants for businesses either paying or qualify for business rates and reliefs ; grants for the self employed and finally the furlough scheme . These funding schemes were all in place in order to maintain a short term stable economy.

Whatever the shortfalls might be , we should see the Government's rescue package as sufficient on supporting workers, the self-employed and businesses of all sizes across the nation. Not all businesses benefited from this as a result of the nature , size , structure and other factors that can not be mentioned but it is essential to acknowledge the short term impact of the financial support on the economy. With business shut down temporarily , the economy would have collapsed if spending was hindered. Reducing the bank of England interest rate encouraged consumers to continue doing business and also encouraged spending at a period where consumers had little options on how to facilitate normal spending routines and practices due to the lock-down restrictions.

Now we have to wait and see how this plays out on the long term prospect of the economy. small businesses that sought for funding from the UKRI and other bodies have the opportunity to introduce some of their innovative ideas on the market as either short term or long term business models that can encourage and boost business activities during this period. The aviation, catering and hospitality industries have suffered the most and although other sectors such as the science and technology industry have managed to continue operating at a minimal level, it is not yet clear the losses in regards to job cuts as result of demand and supply for services and product. Major economic blow is being felt across the manufacturing industry as companies come to terms with the reality of COVID-19 . The rescue packages has not helped everyone, and just last week , it was on the news that Mac Lauren is facing a shut down due to the current situation . Other automotive companies like JLR have managed to go for external loans. 

I am optimistic that the economy will bounce back at a reasonable rate with time if we manage to secure and implement all plans from new derived business models and strategies proposed for funding around COVID-19 and beyond (the aftermath) to support already existing businesses .

We wont be able to give a full clear picture of the economic disaster for at least late 2021 when the actual numbers are out for any strategic economic approach  taken by the Government and the nation as a  whole , as a collective effort to minimise this  pandemic crises.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

September 2020

Any small business that have applied for research and development tax credit either through an agent or directly has gone through the rigorous tax compliance procedure that HMRC follows in order to make a successful claim. However, HMRC is encouraging more small businesses to claim R&D tax credit by making the whole process much easier than it is at the moment due to the high number of unclaimed R&D tax credits. 

They recently launched a charter to address some of the more pressing issues that customers face when dealing with them and any interested business that provided a feedback before the deadline  had the opportunity to address some of the most common issues from corporation tax, VAT, to tax credits.

I personally believe that the whole R&D tax credit process can be made much simpler than it is at moment and this is  mainly based on my experiences on making a direct application. R&D Tax Agent on the other hand have are much more familiar and flexible way of dealing with HMRC staff and for that matter , they find it much more easier claiming on behalf of small businesses. However, the processes becomes more complicated for small businesses claiming directly from HMRC.

The R&D tax credits scheme provides the financial support required for  large or small enterprises involved in research work to  enable them subsidise some of their expenditure uncured as a result of research activities undertaken. The whole idea and objective behind a qualifying claim focuses on research work uncertainties and problems uncounted/solved rather than research outcome . Thus, failure in accomplishing any objectives within a particular work frame does not necessarily disqualify any projects but rather if the data obtained from the laboratory  and experiments can be proven to be worthy thus, it deals with uncertainties  during the project life-cycle  and can also provide a useful means of understanding the direction and scope for future work if required. 

I am particularly much interested about this qualifying factor due to the nature of my work and like many typical research and development businesses , a lot of money , time and other resources is spent on solving a particular problem with unsuccessful trials carried out several times before accomplishing any aims and objectives. R&D tax credit will be able to provide some of the tax breaks and reliefs needed to cater for material,transportation and equipment expenses if all records can be submitted during your application process. 

The HMRC R&D tax credit guidance notes are very much self explanatory and they provide all the information required to assess weather  a project qualifies under the scheme before submitting a claim. This can be done together with your corporation tax anual submission or could be submitted upon amending your corporation tax returns. From my personal experience dealing with HMRC, , i believe HMRC staff are more interested with proof of expenditure of any expenses made than any part of the claiming process. They do this just to ensure a smooth compliance process is observed. So it would be difficult to make a claim from HMRC without any records of any expenditure even if a proof of your work is even patented. This is the downside of the whole process and without having all the required proof of purchases even if a proof of the actual work is documented 

so i recommend taking a tax agent to deal with complications like this however, i also believe that this typical issue can be changed by HMRC to make the whole claiming process much more flexible.

For compliance sake, it is reasonable and makes perfect sense that no work could be documented and proven without incurring cost and for that matter any business that is able to make a good case of not having all proof of purchase documents  but is willing to provide and share confidential materials obtained from work should have a waiver from HMRC.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

December 2020

The enterprise finance guarantee loan is a funding scheme which provide about seventy five percent government backed guarantee security for business who have little or not much security , This was introduced about 8 years as part of the Governments finance readjustment programme for businesses. This has been very successful in some part of the country such as the south eastern part of UK however, it has not gain that much recognition in other region but it is also mostly accessed by mid to large businesses. The reason for this could be attributed to many factors however, it is clear from my investigations made between 2018-2019 shows that most of the banks in the Midlands regions have little or no knowledge about this scheme.

One of the major problems with UK small businesses in the government's industrial strategy published in 2017 emphasised on the lack of access to finance and the means for the financial bodies to explore more possible ways to enable the ease and access to finance. The CBIL loan facility issued by the banks relies on the same 

requirement for small businesses however, this scheme tells a different story in terms of the number of businesses who were able to get financial support from this scheme. This could be due to the swift action taken by the government to ensure that banks are well prepared to support businesses but on the other hand it also shows the kind of effort made to promote the enterprise finance guarantee since its launch.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

March 2021

It is now widely acknowledged that Small businesses are the engine that drives any major economy. In the UK there has a several campaigns and promotion on increasing the awareness on the avenues where small businesses and SME's can find funding opportunities and grant for their project . The Government industrial strategy plan has a very clear plan on allocating funds for SME'S however most of the funding can not be reached by many SME's due to the rigorous requirements introduced by many bodies when applying. 

My personal experience  is a testimony on how difficult it is for small businesses and I strongly believe it is high time the proper authorities use the opportunities provided through various means such as feedback from the several consultations that we have contributed to address this issue.  Several survey feedback also shows that many businesses face similar issues. 

There are various funding sources such as Grant's from various Government bodies, non government organisations and also the councils throughout the borough in London , county and in the UK. 

The most known Grant available if you happen to be a research organisation is through the UKRI . This Grant is specifically for pre-revenue businesses, academia and other industry bodies interested interested in research. The most popular grant that UKRI provides is  called the smart grant and this can be accessed directly through their web portal by registering and presenting your proposal directly on line. The interesting thing about the smart grant is the possibility of submitting a proposal without any stakeholders thus, there is no need to arrange for partners or collaborators. On the other hand , most of their competition that is arranged requires some sort of collaboration in order to meet the requirements.  

Another avenues is through the council where any business is located but most of these Grant's are match funded grant and this means that it requires some sort of funding proportion to be met by both parties.

HMRC is also proving grant due to the Brexit and the grant is administered by price Water house -pwc . This is called the custom intermediary grant and it is meant for business already providing custom services or in the process to do so. Businesses can apply for either IT equipment grant or training grant to assist them on implementing best standards and acquire the necessary resources needed to provide customs services .

There are many Grant's available on the www.gov.uk platform but most of them are provided and sponsored by the county and councils and the combined authority so it is vital to enquire in order to meet the location requirements 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

June 2021

Many start-ups nowadays find it difficult to have the financial support due to many reasons , one being lack of exposure and understanding of business processes and  requirement.  A survey published by Gartner specifically identifies this as the main cause of failure with Tech start-ups.  This could be the fact that most Tech start-ups are not business administratively oriented and as such , are unable to cope with the managerial aspect of the business. It also have something to do with the level of education as we find more and more high school graduates and first degree graduate in technical disciplines trying to venture into a business of their own. Many successful  entrepreneurs had their failure along the way so you should not be bothered by such setback but rather be open and willing to learn quick from mistakes .  As a developers/engineer , your valuable assets lies within your competence and capabilities so it is essential that you  ;

· Have a tangible idea and a good business model 

· Understand how to invest and add value to your business 

· Can manage your intellectual properties 

· Can manage any project 

· Can manage and mitigate risks and set back 

· Can be an effective communicator and negotiator 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

September  2021

So, I have used this route of funding for several times without any success but nevertheless , I am going to outline the advantages and disadvantages according to my experiences and knowledge .

Advantages 

1. A perfect route for any research idea that can be brought on the market as either product or service

2. You get the benefit of the doubt upon having more than one assessor to look at your proposal 

3. You get most of the time,  a maximum of seventy percent of the funding sought after 

4. It is a fast and efficient way of raising capital for your project 

5. There is less risk involved due to how it is administered, and it is fully guaranteed once you are approved for the grant 

6. You get expert advice and guidance during the project life cycle phase of your project when required 

Disadvantages 

1. Any project proposal summary is bound to be published which may result in a conflict of interest or could compromise confidentiality protocols laid down by the business 

2. A good project idea does not necessarily guarantee funding due to how assessors are picked 

3. Project proposal can be only allowed a certain number of times to be reconsidered 

4. Project will be supervised and monitored during the entire project life cycle phase 

5. Its requires acknowledgement of the source of funding when marketing product or services from project 

6. Project proposals can be invalidated when not successful 

To add to my comment above , it is important to note that the advantages outlined outweighs the disadvantages however, any business that falls within the disadvantage list given is not a failure in anyway. Research has shown that many businesses have gone further to obtain funds through other means to develop their successful product or service . A highly complex and innovative idea is bound to receive some kind of rejection and opposition especially at the initial stages until that idea is recognised or become familiar by the majority . It has also been found that most successful entrepreneurs would have had their ideas rejected at the early stage of any grant proposal application if they did not have the funds by them selves to delivers their project. 

It is therefore imperative to maintain a sense of confidence and a mind set of achieving your goals even if it requires independent and peer funding if your initial proof of concept and market research is right . 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

March   2022

The Government has introduced many funding schemes since the Covid- 19 pandemic emerged early last year and without government support, many small businesses would have been left stranded and collapsed. The impact of the financial support and small grants given can be seen by many businesses who were able to service their struggling businesses as a result of the funds attained from the Government through various schemes .

As time progressed , it is clear that some businesses have been affected due to the fact that they were unable to meet any of the requirement put in place for claiming funds available. Most of the people and businesses in this status are found in a venerable situation where it has been tough finding any help in these challenging times. 

In May 2020 a petition for the support package for Directors and shareholders of small limited company was passed on to parliament for consideration upon reaching 100,000 signees. This petition shows how vital  this matter is and it comes as  a relief when I heard that the FSB has approached the Treasury on considering this proposal.

I hope this proposal is considered as I am one of the few businesses left out as a result of not being able to meet any of the requirements under the current funding schemes . This will be beneficial for many business with different business models who are left behind at the moment.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

June  2022

It came as a relief when I heard about the 2 billion kick start scheme programme announced by the government last month. Like most of the small businesses who have experienced great losses as a result of this pandemic, this is an opportunity to mobilise resources by means of recruitment campaign. 

Employers will be able to recruit any qualified candidate for six months, working on a maximum 25 hours to meet the requirement for the scheme. Thus, employers will receive payment on the national minimum rate for every employee, employed and an additional incentive paid to the employer for every employee recruited.

I believe this is good strategic and economical recruitment campaign not only for the department of works and pension but also, the many businesses that have been hit hard because of Covid-19.  The economic climate has affected annual business predictions and productivity since last year and most businesses do not want to take any risk on recruiting new staff or bring on board staffs that were laid off because of this pandemic. The terms have been relaxed, which means employers no longer must recruit a minimum of 30 employees to meet the requirement. However, the incentive provided is only meant as training cost for young employees from 16 to 24 years who can longer find employment and are on universal credit. 

It also important to mention that one of the prerequisites for successful application of the grant is to have your job advertised on the “find a job” platform administered by the department for works and pension (DWP). It also clear that further funding will be available for training and support to enable young individuals acquire the skills needed to find jobs in the future meanwhile, employers can be flexible with the recruitment date till end of December 2021.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

September  2022

Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd embarked on a recruitment campaign early this year on recruiting either an apprentice, intern or a professional to join the business. I have been pondering over this campaign for the last couple of months on the right choice due to the difference in recruiting either an intern or an apprentice. So, I decided to go through the whole application process for both schemes. 

The government is encouraging employers to bring on board young individual who have been redundant or unable to find work. I talked about the kick start scheme on last month’s tech brief updates but the scheme for apprenticeship training and internships has been running for a while now, the only difference is the added funding incentive now available to employers due to the current pandemic situation. 

As a business, Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd believes in the apprenticeship programme and we encourage employers to be part of this when possible. The company had its interest registered at the very beginning of its incorporation on the www.gov.uk website however, we have not been able to use this scheme due to constraints and limited resources so its a welcoming news that the Government is taken full action on encouraging businesses to recruit although the economic climate might not be that positive. 

Many employers might find it easy having the right candidate from the website through a training provider, but it is essential for small companies like mine to have the right person on board. The challenge is having the right training provider offering the courses that meets your job description and role. Once you have the training provider accepted, you can either opt in by asking them for a candidates or search by yourself. There is a maximum of £4000 per head depending on the range of age an employer recruits. 

On the other hand, the internship programme takes a much different approach due to the fact that it is seasonal and periodic for a maximum of six month. And it is not guaranteed that the intern might come back upon completing. Most academic institutions also have some sort of grants scheme in place for employers to subsidise their recruitment expenses. 

It is therefore vital to know and choose the right scheme for your business in order not to waste vital resources. 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

December  2022

 It is incredible nowadays to think about what one might accomplish far away in a remote place with an internet enabled device. The internet of things- IoT, has enabled a whole industry of services and product to be delivered just by a click on your electronic internet enabled device. This, however, comes with a prise and some of the challenges are yet to be met. Whilst the Asian and American market saw the future of the digital revolution in the early nineties, the European market were somehow reluctant to keep up the pace. The impact of the digital revolution enabled a lot of business models to be initiated from all sectors. Many business ideas were initiated for the financial institutions from fast payment services, fast money transfer and other card payment services as well as exchange. 

Most banking institutions saw the impact of the digital revolutions and started adjusting by moving away from the conventional ways of banking. Europe took a bold step by acknowledging the impact on business and adapted quickly to this by making radical adjustments. 

Every continent and its economy which sometimes has an impact on the culture, this relatively is dependent on the market and the demand for the right services and product to be created to meet customer need. The likes of mobile money and mobile data for cash has disrupted the African market whilst the developed world has seen a decrease of people using cash but rather credit and debit cards as well as mobile phones payments. The online purchasing and payments system has surged worldwide and there are now more businesses offering intermediary payment services for online stores. Many businesses accepting online payment nowadays require some sort of arrangement from the banks  for  any online merchant to be used for online transaction. 

The emergence of industry four has enabled many business opportunities and many federal Government are considering the digital currency. Cryptocurrency and bitcoin are digital money with digital value which can be exchanged into cash. Hence, the future of financial institution will no longer require big vaults stored with commodities like gold and silver or diamonds but will rather be driven by data processed from large serverless IT infrastructure operating in the cloud. 

How the Banks see the future and the role they play will depend entirely on capitalising on disrupted business ideas that this innovation brings to provide the customer the best digital experience.

The banking sector has seen a lot of makeover in the past years but there is still much to be done to meet customer requirements enabled by disrupted business models providing services which sometimes are not within the reach for a normal operating bank. This leads to business relocating from where they originated and therefore any economic impact that comes out of such business will not be realised by the local community. 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

March 2023

Innovate UK’s innovation loan scheme has been in existence for a while now and it seems to be a popular option for pre-revenue-based start-ups businesses, SME’s, and other Academic and research institutions looking to scale up and go commercial with great business models.  Innovate UK forms part of the UKRI’s council member; a Governmental body responsible for driving and promoting innovation through financial support to UK businesses and Academical institutions within the science and technology industry and other industry sector.  

Innovate UK runs a comprehensive funding competition programme for business in the science and technology industry with project proposal that could be classified as tangible and have potential of making commercial success.  They run funding competition for projects in disciplines such as Quantum technology, Robotics, renewable and energy and energy supply, manufacturing, AI, automotive, aeronautics, Biomedical and clinical engineering as well as electronics and computing, to name a few. All these competitions are organised within a specific time frame and any approved project within the scope of the competition is given a grant funding award as a financial support to meet project expenses for the project timeline. They also run the smart grant competition on a periodic basis with its own project requirements and scope for funding. 

Innovation Loans scheme is different, and it is more commercial purpose oriented as it provides businesses with the financial support needed to deliver on any goal for commercialising a product or service, this also applies to some competition mentioned above but every project must fall in scope in line with the competition’s objectives. The innovation loan provides funding and financial support for project in experimental development stage such as prototyping, demonstrating, testing, piloting, and validating any of the above-mentioned science and technology field of business. 

Unlike Smart grant and other competitions mentioned above, there are two other forms to be completed apart from the project questionnaire form. Providing essential financial information about the business which I believe is now administered by early metrics Ltd and providing information about the businesses social status policies on diversity, inclusion, and equality.  A completed spread sheet with business financial  information and a business plan must be completed and uploaded upon completion of the financial survey questionnaires.

Loans can be awarded between £250000 - £1.600000 on any project within the scope as a late-stage project initiative. Business can also get hundred percent eligible project cost depending on their business status and size. The loans are flexible with low interest rate for projects that have the potential to be commercially successful.

I believe this provides a very brilliant initiative that will boost competition and drive innovation as an alternative option of raising financial capital for businesses with less options on the high street but have ambitions of making returns on investments through commercial success of their services and product from sales and profits. 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd 

June 2023

Last month, I talked about the innovation loan scheme where I talked about some of the funding schemes and competitions organised by innovate UK. The smart grant funding is a unique competition for businesses having great ideas for growth and scaling to grab part of the 25 million made available at every round. It supports game changing and innovative concept that can be brought on the market through research for development. 

Unlike most competitions arranged by innovate UK, the smart grant provides the ideal platform for businesses that have specific research proposals which does not meet or fall under any of the other competitions scope. It is highly competitive but also the best option to obtain funds for business ideas that can easily be proven innovative and be commercialised. The competition is organised on round for round basis and has limit of amount of grant that a business can have. It is either a collaborated project or a single business proposal. 

The eligible project cost that a business can apply for is from £25000 to £500000 for project duration between 6 to 18 months, this could either be singular participant or collaborative.  For project with a timeline duration between 19 months to 36 months, the eligible cost between £250000 to £2000000 and must be collaborative. The amount of funding that business could get depends on the level of research work to be carried out for projects.  SME’s proposing any project within the feasibility study and industrial development framework are entitled to seventy percent of funding, medium size businesses are entitled to sixty percent funding whilst larger organisations get fifty percent funding of the entire project cost. For experimental development projects which can includes demonstrators and development of prototypes, the eligible project cost is forty five percent, thirty five percent and twenty five percent, respectively.

Unlike the innovation loan where the focus is mainly on commercialisation on business idea from late stage, the smart grant takes a different approach of providing financial support to project from the early stage. This could be any game changing, innovative method which could be begin from a proof of market or proof of concept research activity. Any project activity must be carried out in the UK and the commercial benefit must be initially exploited in the UK. There is no financial information required apart from the project cost finance information requested as part of the questions however, an EDI survey has to be completed as part of application process just like the innovation loan scheme. This is required to collect and monitor diversity and equality as a data evidence. 

I personally recommend this to any business with a game changing idea, looking for funding but have difficulty due to the nature of its business model 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

September 2023

HMRC’s definition of corporate intangible assets can be found within the CIRD11000 guide however, the content within the scope of this guidance extends further to other processes and activities that are considered taxable. The HMRC manual explains further and elaborate on matters which are not applicable to the sector of industry I find myself however, I would advise anyone having interest on the subject matter to read the whole manual.

Intangible assets, as we know are assets generated as a result of business activities conducted on a daily basis and these items can be classified as either patent, trademarks, copyrights and customed innovative processes used within any organisation to aid business growth. The digitisation age since the last four to five decades has ushered new business models and the perception of digital valuation of assets. This business culture is growing at a fast pace in the United States and in Asia where the markets stocks are much influenced by prices determined by services and product provided by major tech companies. Some experts are of the opinion that most of these tech companies have been overvalued in terms of the assets and the services that comes with the products they offer to customers. I am of the view that a company’s intangible asset is its most valuable holdings, and this could be appreciated or depreciated depending on how it is presented to the customer. 

The digital market is growing so fast which requires no debates as the markets dictates the pace and this is what made the big four companies reach trillion valuation mark. 

Europe is competing with the same businesses outside it shores and the mentality on doing business has to change in order to compete successfully. Financial institutions must look far beyond business income or revenue at a certain level to assess business model according to future prospects. Most pre-revenue business and start-ups have difficulty assessing finance due to setbacks faced with lenders, but they might have a game changing product or service which they might have already invested heavily to create intangible assets worth millions which could potentially change the digital market dynamics in the region. 

The question of why is not feasible for any business with a good business plan , a good business model with valuable intellectual properties as intangible assets ( As collateral ) cannot access a financial loan term should be addressed and reviewed by the financial institutions and governance if Europe is to keep up the pace in the digitised era because old rules are being wiped away by the single digital market which draws a ripple effect on the global economy. 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

Decemeber 2023

Many small businesses are faced with many challenges when it comes to recruitment especially at the early stages of the business. This is mainly due to the fact that most small businesses and start-ups do not have the right infrastructure in place and lack expertise in this field. This can be complicated when any business in such position have to redirect the small capital already generated to cater for failures encountered.

It is always a risk with regards to recruiting the right candidates, but the impact is mostly felt by small business with less resources on such area. It is therefore important to make strategic plans to mitigate any risk taken. Being aware of the challenges ahead is the first step in acknowledging the outcome of your recruitment plans. It is also important to have a budget set-up for such exercise, in doing so , you have already taken care of the expenditure section on your balance sheet. Depending on the role, responsibilities, and job title of the candidates being recruited, it is sometimes advisable to consider yourself in the candidates’ shoes to reflect on what to expect and how to make a very tangible choice. 

Many small businesses spend a huge amount on recruitment without yielding the benefits needed for growth and success which sometimes lead to business closure. Everyone can recruit anyone for a job however, when the job role requires the responsibilities, exposure and experiences for the task at hand within the business, it is always a risk however taken these steps can help mitigate some of the setbacks.

· Be clear on the type of person you want 

· Set out pragmatic responsibilities for the job specification 

· The Individuals role and contributions to the whole business 

· For small businesses, mention the salary range to attract high calibre candidate 

· Set up a realistic timeline for having the potential candidate on board 

· Plan well to accommodate delays in having the right candidate 

· If interviewing for an Engineering role, let your questions be objective more than subjective

· Identify projects conducted by the candidate as experience and the role played with responsibilities which relates to your goals 

· Consider transferable skills when it’s an engineering role , sometimes they bring innovation from a different dimension scope. 

· Use psychometric test when possible but do not use it as basis of your choice of candidate , rather use it as a supplement and support. 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

March 2024

Setting up a business requires a lot of resources and information, and it is tedious than one might think. Many small businesses venture into an enterprises lacking the knowledge or not knowing what to expect especially when the business is niche, or the market is unknown. 

Many businesses fail as a result of this blissful state of mind and this could lead in accumulating huge debt upon bankruptcy. It is therefore vital to test the waters and know the kind of business venture to explore before any investments are made.

One crucial advantage of market insight is the possibility of acquiring knowledge well beyond the expectation of your competitors and peers and using it as a guideline for the successful deployment of your business. The challenge in doing this comes from knowing your goals , objectives and the target market for the business. From then onwards, a good business model can be derived where the main identities determine your potential strength and weaknesses 

A well-defined business objectives and goals determines how and what information is required to draw up a business plan. It is recommended by many expertise to conduct a series of feasibility studies activities to determine and gain knowledge. One way of doing this is through a survey or acquiring information from market expert companies who have already conducted research into such areas on ascertaining vital information on the market dynamics for the business. This purpose driven activity may sound not useful but what market research actually does is to pave the way on setting up a good foundation for your business. 

Many of these market research companies have information and data on the target market , market size, market competitors and market value of the industry and it could be used as a strong guideline in structuring your business plan to reflect your strategic plan on venturing into any market as a potential new leader. Business models could then be adapted to suit particular needs for future client or customers.

In this day and age, information is everything . Having such vital market information can be a game changer and can also determine the future success of the business and the successful launch of any business. 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

June 2024

We all have our attribute which could make a positive impact on society however, a fact that cannot be denied is each individual is different.  Learning and skills comes in many different ways and of course, some perform better than others based on so many factors . A typical example is evidence shown during our elementary and secondary schools’ years where our grades are ranked according to the class or group number.

Pragmatically speaking, this analogy can be applied to a professional working environment due to the fact that we all do have our attribute to contribute to skills. However, as professionals, working in a cooperate industry or medium sized business, the objective and the goals is to succeed through a collective effort where achievements are based on the overall performance from the department or group. Awards are then given to deserved individuals who are recommended and given merit such as raise in salary, promotion or through other means. 

What makes professional working careers different from the analogy given above is basically related to other attributes that comes to play at the professional level but deemed irrelevant at the academic training level. Smart working defines the career success of most accomplished individuals in the industry. This is normally defined by good planning, effective communication /presentation, and confidence in articulating ideas forward. 

So how can smart working be infused to a small business to make an effective impact on the business operations. Small businesses always lack resources, and it is vital to use the smart working model to accomplish any business objectives. This fundamentally means having a good day to day strategic working routine without wasting time, money, and other resources. Strategic planning is the catalyst, and this can yield enormous benefits when strategically implemented. Planning eliminates unnecessary inefficient working routines and replaces it with effective cost saving working methods. 

The objectives of smart working can only be met in the small business environment when resources are maximised to make a considerable impact for business growth. It is not much difficult to harness the true skills and innovation from a small working group based on fact that much of the work output can be easily analysed. knowing weaknesses and strength from work group could help build a strategic smart model plan for business growth.

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

September 2024

How do you run a business campaign with a limited budget but yet an ambitious plan to make your ideas a success? The internet of things has enabled all sorts of possibilities for all kinds of business to reach out globally, the world is now a small village because of the internet. I call this a digital leap and of course, a gigantic one considering the constraints and limitations that would have been faced by any business planning on reaching out the client and customers globally few decades behind.

Exposure is a critical aspect of getting your business objectives known, this highlights the vision, goals , aims and the values for the business and it is now possible to get all these factors thrown at your potential customers with just a click of the button on your computer. Little did we expect that social media could make such a positive impact on businesses when it emerged initially. Businesses have well adopted to this and have capitalised on the full benefit it provides on gaining the exposure for generating sales and profits which are needed for business growth.

Your digital footprint for the IoT is vital as a business and it determines your digital networking capabilities and business potential. This is also an added value to your brand and trademark if a strategic marketing campaign is occasionally ushered. Small businesses now have the opportunity and the leverage to the competition by creating bold cyber footprint with limited funds, thereby making it easier for potential customers to find your business. 

The challenge on using social media platforms for business goals requires the ability to have a good public relation or marketing strategy on disseminating the company’s vision to the network group or for that matter, your audience.   This will gradually attract the right customers and interested parties to your business network group. Social media platforms like Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, Google business, YouTube, to name a few allow business profile to be launched within no time however, marketing campaigns such as advertisement normally requires some form of regular subscription for promoting product and services. For starters, it is advisable to set a minimum budget for trials on reaching out to the target market. A regular exercise will reveal a marketing trend on the impact of your exercise, and this could determine on the direction to take. 

Mind you, there are disadvantages on using social media, this is mainly due to the abuse of personal profile usages, cyber bully and internet privacy breaches however, it is hundred percent beneficial when executed in the right way. 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO - Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd

Small businesses across the UK are facing critical times as a result of the pandemic but more importantly due to the late payment for invoices on transaction already made and also other issues such as claims. The problem has been in existence for a while now resulting in the Government initiative for the launch of the small business commissioner’s office . The small business commission’s main task or objective is to tackle dispute amongst large , medium and small businesses across UK through mediation and despite resolution . Its been a success story since its launch but the are barriers within areas under which they are not allowed to operate and this does not help due to the fact that its limits the commissions authority to operate for all cases affecting small businesses. 

Small Business across the UK operate under critical conditions due to limited resources. Most businesses are considered underdogs and are ignored when it comes to pressing businesses issues with their larger clients. This sometimes causes legal matters in relation to the subject matter easily neglected as their legal status are not considered accordingly with the rules and regulations legislated to protect and observe business standards . 

It is imperative for the arms of the law to be stretched wider than before in order to safeguarded good businesses that have potential and prospect of being successful. The small businesses commissioners limited authority to operate across all areas of dispute relating to payment is a disadvantage to SME’s who are looking for more defined routes on resolving payment matters .

To ensure that success is realised within small businesses , there should be a more conducive environment  and conditions provided to small business especially when it comes to late payment and legal matters .

Afterall, small businesses are recognised as the backbone of the UK economy as such , they deserve more for their contribution to the economy 

Author : Emmanuel Victor Quarm

CEO- Teksolutions-Inc.Ltd