Business and the Africa Environment

Public and private businesses in Africa are making progress and adapting to evolving challenges that transcends localand regional boundaries. However, many developing nations in the continent are repeatedly failing to develop appropriate models that are adapted from local cultural concepts, resources, politics and economy.

The population is less adequately empowered to seek value on products and services and so are less bothered about quality. As a result, both the public and private sector organisations are not proactively innovative and creative in applying core principles of business management and marketing in order to gain and sustain customer loyalty, have better competitive advantage within sector, become a market leader, sustain greater profit margin and renown as best employer.

It is becoming unlikely that this type of complacency will sustain as the status quo is facing challenges from advancing satellite technology, mass migration and spreading democratic leadership across the globe. The world is becoming a global village, as information is fast and unrestricted. Knowledge is expanding, and individuals are empowering themselves and their communities.

The present climate is as dynamic as the future is uncertain. It is important that Africa as a whole understands that the acquired raw knowledge from the developed nations need to be processed in order to make meaning to local delivery strategies and economic development in each country respectively and across the continent in general.

African businesses should be doing well and visibly aspiring to international standards, which have seen multinational companies prosper excellently in the continent. The question is why do some businesses survive and become very profitable and others spring up and quickly wither away? What lessons are being learned and how are changes being managed. How are the organisations adapting to immediate new challenges and preparing for the future? Any organisation that exists only on a day-to-day basis may not become a growth oriented and a seriously competitive organisation.

The ways an organisation would overcome various challenges and keep improving on productivity and profitability revolves around: 

• Motivated workforce, employee training and development
• Marketing, advertising and good customer care.
• Sensible investment and update in technology
• Easy adaptability to changing circumstances
• Cost efficiency management
• Procurement and logistic management

How do organisation see itself, her employees and the customers? Do public sector organisations consider they are business organisations even if they do not primarily pursue profit in the same way the private sectors do? How would you like to see your business change for the better, with staff that are hungry for company success, people that would like to invest and the public that is keen to patronise your product or services?   

The best way for empowering, supporting and motivating the sectors and for establishing a healthy competitive economic environment is by creating opportunity for corporate learning and development. This is termed, a learning organisation; where changes and challenges are interpreted as opportunities that would require appropriate skills and abilities to achieve.

Machineries and technological equipment requires huge capital investment. When purchased, they do not operate themselves. They need care and maintenance in order to maximise their potentials. Invariably, they need well-trained and committed workforce that shares in the corporate vision, mission and goal. They need management support and continuous training and professional development. If employees are ignored, the organisation’s business engine becomes ignored.