Functional Strategies for African Advantage

In this paper, we analyze three types of functional imperatives – managing resources, managing relationships, and managing growth.    For each, we identify three areas of functional decisions.   The firms have to manage... [ view full abstract ]

In this paper, we analyze three types of functional imperatives – managing resources, managing relationships, and managing growth.    For each, we identify three areas of functional decisions.   The firms have to manage relationships with workforce, vendors and customers.    They have to manage investment, knowledge, and technology and innovation resources.   And, they have to manage operations, leadership and stewardship dimensions of growth.    In each of these areas, the firms may choose to develop Left cultures, oriented towards the criteria of maintaining cost-effectiveness through boundary regulation and concern with private and local cost recovery.   Or, they may choose to develop Right cultures, oriented towards the criteria of strengthening differentiation through open collaboration and concern with social and global benefits.   We propose that the African firms whose functional choices are guided by the Right cultures, but grounded in the practices of Left cultures, are likely to be most successful in globalizing their advantage.