The Evolving Purpose of Business in Africa

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a reset in almost every area of human activity, not least business. New questions are being asked, and answers are needed. These are especially relevant in Africa, which has been identified by many thought leaders as the next great growth frontier. African businesses will be required to reconcile the twin priorities of compassion and competitiveness, and be prepared to be assessed on new metrics. Will your enterprise be judged a success if it puts people before profits, and can you accommodate the potentially competing needs and rights of shareholders and stakeholders? To what extent do these overlap, and what happens when they come into conflict?

Who this Course is Suitable For

Business leaders, policy makers and leaders of organisations that seek to influence key debates
People with an interest in the way the world works, and who believe that the role of business can and should change to focus on a less narrowly defined definition of successes
African business leaders, or leaders of businesses which operate or want to operate in Africa

What Delegates Can Expect

Interactive discussions and learning
Coverage of a wide range of topics relating to African business strategy and development in an international context
The use of real-world examples to illustrate the impact of conceptual and philosophical approaches to business

Topics/Themes to be covered

Understanding key concepts and acronyms in the business evolution space.
Charting the evolution of purpose and analysing how purpose can vary from business to business.
Converting ideas and thinking into clear strategy and meaningful action.
Ensuring that business purposes are competitive, impactful and sustainable for South Africa and the entire continent.
The contribution of businesses to value-based cultures with a strong sense of community, and to moving beyond ‘business as usual’.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this course, you should be able to:

Understand and appreciate the role and importance of business purpose in an African context;
Understand business in Africa at a strategic level; and
Understand and implement a business purpose roadmap within your own business, and contribute to making African business more sustainable.