Articles by Lars Stork on ArticleSnatch.com

Competition in Africa's Business Environment

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:33:21 -0400

Now that Africa is becoming one of the world's best business venue, competition might get tougher. All types of businesses will need a more intense and effective business modeling to keep up with the heat of the battle. Doing business in Sub-Saharan Africa will become harder to bear because of the rise of more foreign investments. Business in Africa competition sector is expected to become tighter. This is all because of the growing number of investors being invited by the region's overall growth. Countries with large economies were the premiere investors in Africa. One of them is China which focuses on oil, mining and infrastructure business. But as always the first one to come is the one who gets much of the advantage. This is why Chinese investors are making the most of the moment while everything is still fresh and hot. China is one of Africa's best business partner right now. With their wide spread investments, the continent is helped out to cater the needs of Africans. United States is also one of the primary investor in Africa. These two countries are perceived as two banging stones in African business and in the global economy. **End Summary** Topics: business in africa]]> investing in africa]]> investment]]> ICT]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Author recommends business consulting and business modeling.

Gearing Up for Growth - Reducing Poverty Part Three

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Bringing the benefits of mobile communications to rural villages Nokia, together with the Grameen Foundation, have joined forces to provide rural areas with access to affordable telecommunication services, thus boosting economic development in rural communities. The Village Phone concept is based on the pioneering work of Professor Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. It has since been replicated in Uganda and Rwanda. The concept uses microfinance as an innovative tool to create entrepreneurship. It also aims to boost network connections in areas with infrastructural limitations. In Rwanda, Village Phone aims to create over 3,000 new small businesses throughout the country within the next three years. Five thousand new businesses have been created in Uganda since 2003, and the numbers continue to grow. The Grameen Foundation and Nokia are looking into replicating the model in other countries. A microfinance loan of approximately US $200 allows the Village Phone operator to purchase a mobile phone kit. The kit comprises a Nokia handset, a SIM card preloaded with prepaid airtime, an external antenna set (including a booster antenna, a coupler, and a cable), and marketing materials. **End Summary** Topics: economic development]]> mobile communication]]> mobile communication benefits]]> rural development]]> rural progress]]> rural services]]> telecommunication]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Lars Stork is the managing director at FutureAfrica, a management consultancy services provider. Services include process modeling , business transformation, leadership development, coaching and mentoring.

Gearing Up for Growth - Reducing Poverty Part Two

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

African mobile operators certainly have paved the way for further business development across industries both at corporate and SME level, the infrastructure and services provided have clearly been successful in its own way, however have also provided opportunities for new and existing businesses to develop and transform the way business is conducted in both urban and rural areas. Some of the success stories are as follows: Rural Distribution model Celtel were empowering and making life better for every Nigerian by making their products and services readily available, accessible and affordable to Nigerians everywhere they live and work. From the heart of rural communities to the fringes of Nigeria, they want everyone that wants to communicate to be able to do so conveniently, easily, timely and cost effectively. They want their products and services to be within â€˜arms lengthâ€™ of every Celtel existing and potential customer. They strengthen the vital links or connections they have built with the communities they serve. Celtel sees itself as a development partner with these communities. They have invested heavily in these communities by deploying their infrastructure such as base stations and thus stimulating economic development and growth through the provision of communication service. **End Summary** Topics: mobile operators]]> business development]]> business infrastructure]]> business services]]> business transformation]]> business development]]> distribution model]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> FutureAfrica offers business modeling and business transformation services for organizations, companies and businesses who want to invest in Africa.

Gearing Up for Growth - Reducing Poverty Part One

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

In 2008 The African continent was seeing its strongest economic growth since the 1970s. 15 African countries entered a second decade in which they posted strong annual economic growth rate of above 5%. Despite strong economic performance, Sub-Saharan Africa remains the only region not on track for achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. In 2009 recession has hit Sub-Saharan Africa, export demand is collapsing and commodity prices- in particular those of oil and base metals-under pressure, real GDP growth in numerous sub-Saharan African countries is likely to end up in negative territory. There is not a single country in sub Saharan Africa that I have visited, through my work, where I have not come across a teaming number of people who are unable to make ends meet. There are millions of people both in urban and rural areas who can barely have a meal a day let alone afford decent clothes to put on. If they live in urban areas, they live in slums. The available infrastructure is scanty. For instance, to go through daily ablutions is a real humiliation. **End Summary** Topics: business research]]> business development]]> consulting]]> infrastracture]]> projects]]> business idea]]> poverty]]> telecoms]]> economic progress]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> FutureAfrica is a consultancy firm that offers business consulting services such as essential business process modeling , organizational transformation, people development and more.

Turning Challenges Into Opportunities - Part Three

Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Government's responsibility Local African governments certainly also must review and transform their regulatory framework and work in closer partnership with the industry for affordability, and low cost solutions to network extension, in particular into remote areas; both are needed to ensure the poor can access mobile phones and benefit from services; The Economic crises must be a catalyst for change Government and mobile operators must work together in transforming their partnership for reduction of current inefficiencies securing a continued increase in productivity. Governments must react very quickly by lowering or eliminating tariffs on the import of equipment such as handsets and base stations and taxes generally. If you want to encourage something you don't tax it. The best strategy for expanding government resources is to expand the economy, and this can best be accomplished by lowering the current barriers legal, tax and regulatory allowing the market and the private sector to grow. New business model To remain competitive in the global economy, you need to concentrate on what made you successful in the first place your core business. You can't afford to expend valuable time and energy managing transactions and noncore process that could be handled by other specialists. **End Summary** Topics: Africa government]]> industry]]> economy]]> business model]]> investment]]> business process outsouring]]> people leadership development]]> transformation]]> strategi]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Future Africa provides business management consulting services that include business modeling, organizational transformation, business process reengineering and leadership development services .

Turning Challenges Into Opportunities - Part Two

Sun, 17 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Transformation Crisis management requires well thought through transformation and a fundamental re-thinking on how operators, local governments and vendors work together. Turning the effects of the global financial crisis into a positive might seem farfetched however if businesses take the actions required fast with a very structured approach and not treating the current crisis as yet another firefighting project or business as usual, ending up with fixes normally just scratching the surface. Organizations and Governments must now use the current crisis as an ideal opportunity to drastically transform their way of doing business, enabling survival and ultimately be stronger for what happened. Leadership teams traditional role is not conducive to meeting the current challenges, time is now up, the continued talk of transforming the way operators and vendors alike do business in Africa, is now simply is not enough, drastic actions for survival and continued positive progression is now required. **End Summary** Topics: business transformations]]> business process]]> outsourcing]]> BPO]]> financial crisis]]> management]]> telecoms]]> ]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Future Africa provides business consulting services that include business modeling, organizational transformation, business process modeling , people development, individual coaching and mentoring.

Turning challenges into opportunities - Part One

Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Financial crisis Telecoms operators and vendors doing business across Africa are entering unchartered terrain with this conjuncture of profound crises the fallout from the financial crisis will be severe. People are being faced with a deep sense of insecurity; misery and hardship will increase for many poorer people everywhere. The movements will grow further as recession starts to bite and economies start sinking into depression. We need principles of transformation, perhaps more than at any other time in our history, to produce good news. These principles must now come to the forefront of our thinking. Mobile operators, vendors not to exclude government bodies must evaluate the requirement for change, be innovative, talk about them, work together and exchange results, network, pass them on to others, and so forth. Only principles of transformation will produce the good news that we long to hear. The global financial crisis becomes a human crisis.'Ã‚Â Nowhere is this truer than in Africa.Ã‚Â Although spared the first-round effects of banking failures, Africa is already facing the second-round impacts of declining capital flows, slowing remittances, stagnating foreign aid, falling commodity prices and export revenues, African currencies are and will be bound to devaluation . **End Summary** Topics: business transformations]]> financial crisis]]> telecoms]]> ]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Future Africa provides strategic business consulting services that include business modeling, business transformation , process reengineering, people development, individual coaching and mentoring.