Discussion A Bus 240 International Business in Africa

Discussion A Bus 240 International Business in Africa

There are many factors that determine the success of an international business. One such factor is the competence level of employees especially at the managerial level. Managers need to understand international business strategies such as cultural sensitivity among others. Companies must therefore put in place strategies that help to prepare employees for international markets. One of such strategies is preparing for a pre-move training where the managers are trained on the international market aspects like what to expect and how to solve the challenges that come with moving to international business (Lalonde, 2017). The training can specifically focus on cultural sensitivity and communication expectations on the international front. Other strategies include providing both home and host sponsorship and emotional/psychological support that such managers need as they engage in international business. Guaranteeing constant communication and offering constant feedback can be key in helping such managers to settle properly on international duty (Oguji & Owusu, 2021).

Leading a company in an African country can have remarkable challenges. For instance, the required expertise in handling technical aspects in the organization may not be available which means that prior training of employees is key. Other than prior training of expertise, the second strategy will be to have a prior understanding of the cultural expectations and the possible political goodwill that is key for the success of the organization (Sabir et al., 2021). It will also be prudent to understand the infrastructural facilities and the possible challenges and how they can be addressed in time.

There are notable concerns about leading a business in Africa. One such concern is the lack of political goodwill and possible corruption as leaders are likely to ask for kickbacks to allow a good working environment (Bahoo et al., 2020). The second concern is the (un)availability of the required expertise to avoid too much outsourcing. The other concern is the culture shock as the African culture is quite different from the American culture.

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