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…

Once again, the good faith of many people was challenged due to the latest news item: the bankruptcy of Gowex. The company had led the Mercado Alternativo Bursátil (MAB) as a benchmark on this alternative stock market after multiplying its value 18-fold since it was first launched in March 2010. And though it boasted a…

In an earlier post I talked about the role of business schools in educating African managers. Some of these schools aim not only to educate managers but also to develop leaders. Lagos Business School and Strathmore Business School, for instance, set out to develop African leaders. At IESE, we share this ambition – the slogan…

The recovery of the U.S. economy had appeared to achieve a breakthrough in the final quarter of 2013. The economy grew at an annual pace of 3.2 percent in the last quarter. But the economy contracted again the first quarter of this year. This weak recovery implies that more jobs have been lost in the…