Dynamics of Marketing in African Nations [Hardcover]

In Chapter 3, "Marketing in Africa and Marketing of Africa: The Challenge of Environmentalism and Sustainability," Maxwell A. Ayamba, Colin Beard, and Ian D. Rotherham emphasize that environmentalism and consumerism are powerful forces that are shaping marketing activities in African countries. The marketing of Africa must be more visionary in retaining more of the added value element of its natural resources. The huge possibilities of ecotourism and of wildlife tourism and leisure must be recognized.

In Chapter 8, "The Impact of the Internet, As a Marketing Medium, on Traditional Mass Media in South Africa," Debbie Vigar seeks to discover if marketers in South Africa regard the Internet to be a viable marketing tool. If so, she seeks to determine what impact the Internet is having on traditional mass media marketing in South Africa. She discovers that companies that have consistently had a presence on the Internet have significantly increased their market share and better served and understood their customers. She concludes that businesses that exploit the emerging technology of the Internet have a better chance of becoming a world-class player, optimizing their business performance, and attaining global competitiveness.

In Chapter 10, "Formal and Informal Retail Sectors in Africa: Evolutionary or Competing Paradigms?" Robert Rugimbana and Bill Merrilees review, through extensive literature, the informal and formal retail sectors in Africa, to demonstrate the dynamic evolution of the sectors over the past three to four decades. The authorities in African countries are advised to see this sector in a new light, one that positively recognizes its major contributions to the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of Africa.

In Chapter 11, "Marketing to Southern Africa: The Implications for a Financial Service Company," Isobel Doole, Robin Lowe and Liv Kirby examine the issues facing firms offering services when trying to establish a presence in African markets. Southern African countries are usually receptive toward foreigners and welcome them provided they adapt and do not inflict their Western views onto the local culture. Understanding and positively responding to buyer behavior and developing and motivating staff are likely to be key elements of an early stage market entry for a service business. Networking and word of mouth advertising are particularly important to success in a market such as financial services.

In Chapter 13, "The Impact of Culture on Marketing Management Functions Africa: The Relevance of Hofstede's Typology and Cross-Cultural Management Training," Abel Adekola raises the issue of how varying national cultures affect the application of management processes and functions. He proposes curriculums designed to cultivate productive characteristics in potential managers that can produce global employees successful in cross-cultural situations such as Africa.

In Chapter 14, "Improving Trade Flows Among African Nations: Lessons from the West African Sub-Region," Augustine M. Nwabuzor and Okechukwu D. Anyamele look at trade relations among selected African countries. Issues relating to intra-regional trade are explored with a view to identifying constraints and needed strategic adjustments. Remarkable economic progress is foreseen for developing nations in Africa that adopt relatively open economies, pursue trade-promoting policies, and invest in the development of their infrastructure, like paved roads and ports. There is an understanding that higher levels of intra-regional trade will accelerate the economic growth of the African regions. Jeffrey Sachs is praised for his 1998 proposal for opening the US market to goods from deserving African nations.

Graduate students of international marketing and entrepreneurs looking to do business in Africa will find Dynamics of Marketing in African Nations a valuable tool in understanding the economic development of Africa and its opportunities.