LAHORE: The Pakistan Council for Science and Technology (PCST) has been given a task to carry out Pakistan’s first industrial national innovation survey (FINIS).
The objective of the survey is to conduct national survey of manufacturing sector for gaining insight into their industry innovative process and gauging extend and nature of its innovation activities. The PCST will identify the factors hampering the innovation activities at the firm-level. It will also find out the motivational factors for firms for undertaking innovation activities. Based on their finding, the PCST will suggest policy measures/framework for promoting innovation in manufacturing sector for enhancing its competitiveness in the national and International market.
In this regard a four-member delegation of PCST held a meeting with Chairman Pakistan Footwear Manufacturers Association (PFMA) Muhammad Imran Malik who is also managing director of Bata Pakistan. He briefed the delegates about contemporary footwear industry issues in which importing of raw material is most important factor in determining the growth of manufacturing sector in Pakistan. Currently the industry is relying on importing raw material to produce final products. The development of technological advance local industry will play a decisive role in making footwear industry to be self-sufficient in achieving the highest growth targets, he added.
The PFMA chairman offered all out supports to the government in this survey and committed to provide maximum first-hand knowledge related to footwear industry of Pakistan. The PFMA wants this survey to be meaningful in addressing the industry-related issues and serve as an important tool in formulating effective policy making for the industry. He appreciated the government gesture of reaching out to the industry at their door-step by the PCST before carrying out the survey.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021