Africa's Competitiveness in the Global Economy

'This book is a timely effort to rethink Africa's economic narrative. For nearly two decades Africa's popular storyline was represented by the "Africa Rising" meme built on the commodity boom and rise of China as Africa's leading trading partner. It was simple, catchy and hopeful...but optimism alone does not constitute a strategy to guide Africa's search for alternative routes to development. This book provides new intellectual and pragmatic approaches that could help the continent enhance its global competitiveness, a welcome departure from 20th century market liberalisation ideology that defined globalisation as we know it today.'

-Calestous Juma, Professor of the Practice of International Development, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, USA

This book highlights the key issues, opportunities and challenges facing African firms, industries, cities and nations in their quest to compete successfully in the globaleconomy. Exploring a topic which has grown in importance as Africa faces a period of subdued economic development, this edited collection takes a unique multi-disciplinary, multi-industry and multi-country approach. The authors provide insights into a broad range of issues, including competitiveness measurement and evaluation, sectoral competitiveness of declining and emerging industries, threats of the 'Dutch Disease,' and talent competitiveness. This timely book offers a response to the urgent need for the diversification of economies and the advancement of manufacturing in Africa, appealing to scholars of international business and economics.

Auteur

Ifedapo Adeleye is Lecturer in Management and Global Business at Haslam College of Business, University of Tennessee, USA. An international business enthusiast and passionate management educator, he has authored over 40 papers, books, chapters and cases across a range of topical issues, including firm-level internationalization and competitiveness.

Mark Esposito is Professor of Business & Economics at Hult International Business School and a member of the teaching faculty at Harvard University's Division of Continuing Education, where he equally serves as Institutes Council Co-Leader for the Microeconomics of Competitiveness Program at Harvard Business School. He is an appointed fellow of the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government in Dubai as well at the Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils, Washington DC. He equally holds a research fellowship at the Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, UK.

Résumé

This book highlights the key issues, opportunities and challenges facing African firms, industries, cities and nations in their quest to compete successfully in the global economy. Exploring a topic which has grown in importance as Africa faces a period of subdued economic development, this edited collection takes a unique multi-disciplinary, multi-industry and multi-country approach. The authors provide insights into a broad range of issues, including competitiveness measurement and evaluation, sectoral competitiveness of declining and emerging industries, threats of the 'Dutch Disease,' and talent competitiveness. This timely book offers a response to the urgent need for the diversification of economies and the advancement of manufacturing in Africa, appealing to scholars of international business and economics.

Contenu

1. Africa's Competitiveness in the Global Economy: Past, Present and Future; Ifedapo Adeleye, Joseph Amankwah-Amoah, Nathaniel Boso and Mark Esposito.- Part I. The Global Competitiveness of African Nations and Cities.- 2. The Competitive Challenge of the Formal Sector in Francophone Africa: Understanding the Role of the Informal Sector and the Business Environment; Ahmadou Aly Mbaye and Fatou Gueye.- 3. Theorizing Cities as Sources of Competitive Advantage: Accra in Comparative Perspective; George Acheampong and Obi Berko Damoah.- 4. The International Competitiveness and Connections of African Cities: Profiling South Africa's Gauteng-City Region; Joseph Parilla and Jesus Leal Trujillo.- Part II. Sectorial Dynamics and International Competitiveness in Africa.- 5. Banking on Africa: Can Emerging Pan-African Banks Outcompete their Global Rivals?; Ifedapo Adeleye, Franklin Ngwu, Nkemdilim Iheanachor, Ebes Esho, Chijioke Oji, Theresa Onaji-Benson and Chris Ogbechie.- 6. Enhancing TourismCompetitiveness in Sub-Saharan Africa: Emerging Trends, Challenges and Strategies; Adun Okupe, Trevor Ward and Ogechi Adeola.- 7. Measurement of Agribusiness Competitiveness: Methods and Applications to African Countries; Suresh Chandra Babu and Mahika Shishodia.- 8. Why are so Many African Companies Uncompetitive on the Globe Stage? Insights from the Global Airline Industry; Joseph Amankwah-Amoah.- Part III. Human Capital and International Competitiveness in Africa.- 9. Human Capital, innovation and International Competitiveness in Sub-Saharan Africa; Yaw Debrah, Oriacghe Oseghale and Kweku Adams.- 10. Improving Africa's Competitiveness through Strategic Knowledge Transfer: Lessons from Partnerships with China and Ways Forward; Abdoulkadre Ado.- Part IV: Cases on the Global Competitiveness of Africa's Economic Powerhouses.- 11. Nigeria: Oil and Competitiveness; Doyin Salami, Malcolm Fabiyi and Ifedapo Adeleye.- 12. The South African Renewable Energy Cluster; Mark Esposito, Months Raut, Laura Lanzoni Broccoli, Nasma Harrachi, Yann Claudel, Yang Yang and Melina Balliard.- 13. Kenya's Blooming Flower Industry: Enhancing Global Competitiveness; Ogechi Adeola, Abel Kinoti and Mary Kinoti.- 14. Poultry Tariffs in South Africa: Levelling the Playing Field or Rewarding Inefficiency?; Jacklynne Hobbs, Peter Draper and Claire Beswick.