Doing Business in Africa

This book presents insights from cutting-edge international business and management research relating to Africa. Economic growth and foreign investment in the region remains strong, despite some slowing down in recent years. This trend of economic growth and its impact on international trade and FDI has attracted Western businesses, eager to capitalize on this emerging market. In this context, new relationships and interactions have stimulated business research on Africa.

Split into four parts covering the internationalization process, international logistics, trans-border corporate social responsibility and trust in Africa, the book covers a range of emerging trends, academic discussion and evolving issues across the spectrum of business research. It is a valuable read for students, researchers and practitioners interested in doing business in Africa.

Auteur

Suzanne M. Apitsa, PhD, is a Lecturer at the University of Poitiers (France). She is a member of CEREGE Laboratory (Centre de Recherche en Gestion), Atlas AFMI (Association Francophone de Management International) and Afrique Atlantique. Her research focuses on international HRM, CSR, cross-cultural management, internationalization strategy, transport and logistic in Africa.

Eric Milliot, PhD, is Professor of Management Science at the University of Nantes (France). President of Atlas AFMI (Association Francophone de Management International), he is deputy editor-in-chief of International Management journal and director of the Atlas series at Vuibert (Paris). Member of the LEMNA laboratory, he has published several books and academic articles.

Contenu

Introductory Chapter: The Dynamic of Cultural Interactions in the Workplace in Africa: The Cultural Paradox

Suzanne M. Apitsa

Abstract: The dynamics of ethnic cultural interactions within companies in Africa is an insufficiently explored phenomenon in the academic literature. Understanding the internal logic of individuals in organizations in Africa makes it possible to take advantage of ethnic cultural paradoxes for managerial action. In a resolutely cross-cultural approach, the results of qualitative empirical study, conducted in three French multinationals based in Cameroon and Nigeria, suggest that ethnicity - an element of identity and structuring African societies - must be seen in the same way as culture as having positive effects, but also as a source of difficulty in managerial action. In addition, the results provide a timely framework for diversity management policy and tools for organizations in Africa.

Chapter 1: The Paradoxes of Coopetitive Integration in Madagascar: An Approach Based on the Actor-Network Theory

Gilde Ralandison, Éric Milliot and Victor Harison

Abstract: For three years, the authors have observed two clusters of small and medium sized enterprises involved in the essential oil industry in Madagascar. This longitudinal observation of complementary clusters (one has a formal structure, while the other does not) helps identify a specific type of merger between competitors-partners: integrated coopetition. Using the Actor-Network Theory to understand the way in which such different actors can come to a stable consensus, the authors propose a model of paradox management inside and between the organizations which characterize this type of link-up.

Chapter 2: The Factors Influencing the SME's Engagement in Export: The case of Algeria

Mohamed Kadi

Abstract: This chapter aims to analyze the main factors influencing the export engagement of Algerian SMEs by relying on data from a survey of 43 exporting companies. To achieve this, we favored an exploratory study based on a principal component analysis (PCA). We observed, through the results, that the level of commitment in export presents itself as a strategic choice which is built independently of the level of competition / saturation in the Algerian market. It also seems that access to foreign markets does not depend entirely on the innovation capacity of the SME but on its relational capacities and the level of development of its network. It also seems that access to foreign markets does not depend entirely on the innovation capacity of the SME but on its relational capacities and the level of development of its network.

Chapter 3: Internationalization of Moroccan SMEs in sub-Saharan African Region: An analysis based on the Uppsala Model

Oumaima Chamchati, Mohamed Nabil El Mabrouki and Caroline Minialai

Abstract: The objective of this chapter is to examine the pertinence of the Uppsala model in analyzing the internationalization of Moroccan SMEs in Sub-Saharan Africa. To achieve this, we first describe how Johanson and Vahlne explain the choice of host country and entry mode in their model. Then, based on a series of interviews with Moroccan SMEs operating in Sub-Saharan Africa and representatives of overseas support organizations, we analyze the similarities and differences between the proposals of the Uppsala model and our results. It shows that Uppsala's model must broaden its definition of distance and reconsider the importance of political distance. In the intra-African context, diplomatic relations between countries generate a "driving effect" among companies. The importance of this effect should be further studied when explaining the international behavior of SMEs. Similarly, host country characteristics must be further explained in the model, since they may differ from a geographical context to another. In the intra-African context, we realize the importance of political stability and security risks in the choice of host country and entry mode. Is this specific to the African context? Wouldn't it be useful to develop specific extensions of the Uppsala model for each homogeneous geographical context ? </p&g...