Last month, the annual meeting of the Strategic Management Society (SMS) revolved around the theme “Strategies in a world of networks.” Have you ever heard anyone say “connections are not important in this part of the world”? That would be quite unusual, don’t you think? It’s no surprise, then, that networks matter in Africa just […]
Doing business in Nigeria: overcoming cultural challenges
Energy and physical stamina are personal characteristics that tend to be associated with power. Based on their physical appearance, Nigerians could be compared to US basketball players. This feature can be intimidating, and especially so when it comes along with a loud voice. In fact, Nigerians describe themselves as “loud and proud.” This is one […]
Doing business in Africa: some practical advice
Last week I heard a talk by a consultant from Roland Berger who specialized in Sub-Saharan and Southern Africa. He offered some practical advice for doing business in Africa. This is what he said, and some of my experiences of how it holds true: 1. Take market intelligence and customer understanding seriously: product-oriented companies won’t make […]
Personal care products booming in East Africa
Something I find amusing is that most African women use not only hair extensions but also wigs. I went to a Nakumatt supermarket in Nairobi, and I was amazed at the space dedicated to wigs! Women change their hairstyle so often that at times I’ve a hard time recognizing faces. This is but an indication […]
It takes local management to succeed in Africa
At a meeting with the management team of a company in Nairobi, I was asked: “Our company started operations in Nigeria two years ago. So far, we have not succeeded. Based on your discussions with Pan-African companies, why do you think this is the case?” I had some seconds to reflect. It could not be […]
