Entrepreneurship And Sustainable Development In Africa

A critical study of how Africa's dependence on the western world has impacted its economic growth and how the knowledge economy and 4th industrial revolution may aid in its future socio-economic growth and prosperity.

High foreign aid dependence, poor human capital, rising high youth unemployment and poverty are just some of the reasons that Africa represents such a striking symbol of global inequality today. In this book, the author draws on his research and experience of working with key stakeholders to explore how Africa can take advantage of the knowledge economy and 4th Industrial Revolution opportunities to rebuild from the Covid-19 pandemic and empower its people and encourage entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development in Africa is a book the African political class, economic policy and development experts, the donor community, academic researchers and students of business and international development can rely on for a better understanding and solutions to Africa’s historical and contemporary socio-economic problems. Paschal Anosike is Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the founding Director of Centre for African Entrepreneurship and Leadership (CAEL) at the University of Wolverhampton.

Is entrepreneurial and environmental sustainability the only way to safeguard Mother Earth? Professors Nyaanga and Ehiobuche present perspectives, prospects, and opportunities that African entrepreneurship offers and more effective strategies and principles to thrive. Given the distinctiveness of the African continent in terms of its economic infrastructure, political systems, extreme poverty, rapid urbanization, deforestation, environmental impact of the extractive industries, rate of economic growth, rural development, high dependence on foreign aid, low human capital, rising high youth unemployment, climatic variability, natural environmental hazards, abundant natural resources, and alluring consumer goods, most people would concur that at its heart, entrepreneurship is the identification of possibilities in the unmet, underserved, and growing needs of people through the mobilization of resources and the establishment of enterprises. Still, the nature of the activity is very context-sensitive. What functions in one setting and for one population will not necessarily function in another. The needs themselves, as well as the approaches and structures that can be produced acceptably, vary from one place and person to another. Although many business owners believe sustainability is important in their personal lives, they are persuaded that they lack the means to implement it in their fledgling business entities. This book presents baby steps and common-sense ways to see that sustainability is the most effective strategy for ensuring long-term success.

This book is about enhancing the contribution of business to sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa, with an emphasis on both challenges and opportunities. Sub-Saharan Africa is the only region in the world where the proportion of extremely poor people increased during the final decades of the previous century. The overarching imperative to support Africa's poor in their quest for better livelihoods, human rights and environmental integrity, is a huge challenge, and the business community has an important role to play. The purpose of this book is to contribute to a better understanding of this role and its implications for decision-makers in business, as well as, to some extent, government and civil society.--Publisher's description.

In the face of limited progress toward meeting Millennium Development Goals or addressing climate change and resource degradation, increasing attention turns to harnessing the entrepreneurial, innovative, managerial and financial capacities of business for improved social and environmental outcomes. A more proactive role for business in sustainable development is especially pertinent in sub-Saharan Africa, which has been plagued by conflict and poverty but shows signs of a brighter future as the world’s second-fastest-growing region. The book considers how the socio-economic context influences the objectives of social innovation and even our definition of what we mean by social innovation. Secondly, the book aims to show how social innovation initiatives emerge and fare in context of the limited ability of many African countries to provide public goods and services.

Using theory, empirical research, and case studies, this book explores the changing nature of business in Africa and how businesses can actively contribute to the development of Africa. It uses (and critically analyses) the concept of Africapitalism – a management philosophy and movement which seeks to blend the best of African values and Western management theories as a basis for sustainable development in Africa – to understand the subtle factors that underpin business decisions in Africa. The collection of chapters in this book are organized around actors, issues, and reflections. They collectively present an account of Africapitalism, albeit from different perspectives and on different issues, and open up a new space for rethinking business and society relations in Africa from an Africapitalism perspective. Crucial is the critical engagement with both the discourse and practice of Africapitalism and its implications for sustainable development. It is anticipated that the challenges and opportunities highlighted by the book would be embraced by researchers, policy makers, and practitioners in the broad area of business and society in Africa. This multidisciplinary book will be valuable reading for advanced students, researchers and policymakers looking at business in society; corporate social responsibility; sustainable business; international business and African development.

This book investigates the prospects of Africa’s sustainable industrialization, with an emphasis on youth entrepreneurship and the mechanisms in place to support both industrial and corporate entrepreneurs. The volume addresses two specific issues; first, industrialization and youth entrepreneurship and secondly, youth entrepreneurship training and education. The emphasis on youth entrepreneurship to drive sustainable industrialization in Africa is driven by three points: first, Africa’s industrialization is still at its inception with severely limited existing stock of entrepreneurial talents, which makes it imperative to look to the continent’s bulging youth population – the “population dividend” for the needed supply of successive generations of entrepreneurs. Secondly, sustainable industrialization would have to be oriented to “green”, “ICT” and “inclusive” growth which calls for a change in entrepreneurs’ attitudes. Finally, at the centre of the “Africa Rising” narrative is a budding new “cheetah” generation of young entrepreneurs who are highly educated, professional and motivated by the need to set up new business models and practices to compete in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This volume forms part of an Education for Sustainable Development in Africa (ESDA) book series involving the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability and 8 partner African universities running Master’s Programs in sustainable development. The book series is intended to serve primarily as undergraduate and graduate instruction materials for courses on sustainable development in Africa, as well as policy input to key developmental issues in Africa.