Becoming a Successful Entrepreneur in Africa. Analysis of Principles and Skills Required

Book Review on “How to become a successful entrepreneur in Africa: A Practical Guide and Cases Book Review ” by John Kuada and Madei Mangori (2021);

Abstract

The book under review titled “How to become a successful entrepreneur in Africa: A Practical Guide and Cases Book Review” was authored by Emeritus Professor John Kuada and Professor Madei Mangori (2021). The book covers the principles in Part One, about 15 case studies from Botswana, Ghana, South Africa and Zimbabwe, and the selected profiles of the business entrepreneurs are shown in Part Three. Part Two of the book is centred on the profiles of successful African entrepreneurs and stories of various business people. The book is quite rich in principles and integration of competence skills required in establishing and growing a business. The authors suggested a winning strategy. An alternative approach to the research methodology includes the integral research architecture comprising empirical phenomenology, storytelling, grounded theory, and case study. A Social business dimension is proposed to lift up the level of development in the disadvantaged communities, so that the success of the entrepreneurs will also lift up the standard of living of the neighboring communities.

Key Words: Entrepreneur, business transformation, social business dimension, discourse analysis, integral research architecture.

1. ANALYTICAL EXPOSITION

1.1 Background

An entrepreneur initiates, establishes and manages a business enterprise with a considerable amount of risk. The book under review titled “How to become a successful entrepreneur in Africa: A Practical Guide and Cases Book Review ” was authored by Emeritus Professor John Kuada and Professor Madei Mangori (2021); (ISBN: 978-1-913976-08-8) and published by Adonis & Abbey Publishers Limited in London, United Kingdom, in July, 2021. The researcher was the convener/moderator of the international book launch we took place on Friday 10th September, 2021, and the Guest of Honour was His Excellency UNESCO Laureate Distinguished Professor Sir Bashiru Aremu, Vice Chancellor of Crown University Intl. & Grand President of the World Chartered Institute.

A modern African University is often implicated in the huge problem faced by the African continent. A modern African University is part of the colonial project, often alienated from basic realities, disconnected from societies they should serve, and illegitimated by national structures, etc. The huge socio-economic problem of Africa is associated with the following three symptoms as was described by Prof. Maluleke (UNISA Colloquium, 3rd September, 2021) (https://www.polity.org.za/article/the-inauguration-and-investiture-of-the-new-unisa-principal-and-vice-chancellor-and-colloquium-2021-08-30), analogous to a sick body with various symptoms:

- Africa was known as a continent without history (headache).
- Africa was portrayed as a continent without a future (dysentry).
- There exists continuing doubt about the humanity of Africans, perpetrated mainly by Africans themselves (back ache).

The book by the two authors is an attempt to solve part of the huge African problem through entrepreneurship. The key business/research question is "How can one become a successful entrepreneur in Africa?". The discourse worthy of consideration in the review of the book may be guided by the following sub-questions:

a) What are the common challenges faced by entrepreneurs in Africa?
b) What strategies do we adopt to overcome these challenges?
c) What opportunities exist on the continent?
d) Is Africa Poor by Choice?

1.2 Profiles of the two authors - Emeritus Professor John Kuada and Professor Madei Mangori

The brief profiles of the two authors are presented below.

1.2.1 Emeritus Professor John Kuada

John Kuada is Professor Emeritus at Aalborg University Business School, Denmark. He holds a BSc and MBA degrees from University of Ghana Business School. He also holds two doctorate degrees – a PhD from Copenhagen Business School and a higher doctorate degree (Dr. Merc.) from Aalborg University. He taught international business, management and marketing at Aalborg University between 1990 and 2019 and was the director of the university’s Master’s degree programs in International Business and International Marketing from 1994 to 2012. Before then, he taught various business subjects to bachelor and Master’s degree students at University of Ghana Business School.

Professor Kuada has done research in such areas as enterprise development, strategic management, export marketing, international marketing, leadership, and intercultural management. His empirical investigations have mainly been in selected African countries and in Denmark. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of African Journal of Economic and Management Studies (AJEMS), published by Emerald. He was also the founder and former editor of African Journal of Business and Economic Research (AJBER) published by Adonis and Abbey, a London based publishing house. He serves as regular reviewer for such international journals as Journal of Macro-marketing, Journal of World Business, Organizational Science and Journal of African Business.

In addition to teaching and research, Professor Kuada has served as consultant, consulting for international companies and organizations such as International Finance Corporation (a member of the World Bank Group) and Danish International Development Agency (Danida). He is also the founder and patron of Managing Research Africa Network (mRAN) – a rapidly growing and dynamic center of excellence and knowledge sharing for researchers interested in Africa’s development. He is author and co-author of twenty books and over hundred peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. His latest books include the following:

- How to Succeed as an Entrepreneur in Africa (London: Adonis & Abbey Publishers Ltd, 2021)
- Global Mindsets: Exploration and Perspectives (London, Routledge, 2016);
- Marketing Decisions and Strategies – An International Perspective (London: Adonis & Abbey Publishers Ltd, 2016)
- Perspectives on International Business – Theories and Practice (London: Adonis & Abbey Publishers Ltd, 2016)
- Private Enterprise-Led Economic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Human Side of Growth (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2015)
- Service Marketing in Ghana: A Customer Relationship Management Approach (London: Adonis & Abbey Publishers Ltd. 2014)
- Marketing Management and Strategy: An African Casebook. (London: Routledge, 2013)
- Research Methodology: - A Project Guide for University Students (Frederiksberg: Samfundslitteratur, 2012)

1.2.2 Professor Madei Mangori

Professor Madei Mangori is a Professor of Business Administration with a PhD in Business Management from Aldersgate College in the Philippines. He has over 36 years’ experience as an organizational and management development expert in Southern Africa mainly based in Gaborone Botswana, is a founding member of Managing African Research Network (mRAN) (www.resanet.org), a Director Emeritus of mRAN, a board chairperson of Glody Dube English Medium School in Modipane Botswana, and was an Adjunct Lecturer in Business Management at Botho University in Botswana. Madei conducted training programmes for various organisations in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique and Botswana.

Professor Mangori has supervised over 100 MBA dissertations for Management College of Southern Africa and has served as a co-ordinator for business and contextual ministry working as a team leader towards the Botswana Qualifications Authority accreditation of Botswana Bible Training Institute into a multi-disciplinary tertiary institution operating in four countries in Southern Africa. Madei is a dynamic facilitator, an expert and experienced organizational management consultant, organizational development facilitator, highly creative, innovative, experienced training facilitator, lecturer, and consultant, a problem solver, team-player, self-driven, result oriented individual. His first book titled Strategic Leadership: Traditional Structures in Modern Governance was published in 2017 (available on Amazon). He is a co-author of the book Afrika land reform model: Strategic Leadership: Land Management Change Dynamics for Africa's Prosperity and Posterity: The Case of Zimbabwe published in 2020 also available on Amazon.

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