OLEAD 410: Leadership in a Global Context

Cultural Leadership blog

The Death of Culture Shock.

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My father was the first in his family to get on a plane and go to Europe. Every photo that I have of him shows a thirty-something-year-old man marveling at a historical landmark like it’s the first and last time that he’ll ever see it. My dad’s reactions to these new cultures and places he was getting to experience for the first time was natural and justifiable because they were all new to him. It took my dad at least a year to adapt to Turkish culture when he arrived in Turkey. It was a completely new experience for him; he was learning everything from scratch. The only things he knew about the country before he arrived were the names of a few cities. Fast forward to 30 years later and as the first of my siblings to get on a plane to the US my experience was far from my dad’s.

Growing up in Tanzania, I went to international American schools. This meant that my teachers were American and a lot of my friends were American too. The subject matter of what we learned was mostly American, including Social Studies. This resulted in me growing up in a third-world African country with an American accent. I never knew how different I sounded from my friends who went to public school once we conversed in English until I was much older. Because most of my influence was American, I somehow felt different in my own country. I never felt like I fully fit in with my non-school friends. I loved basketball, they loved soccer. I spoke English most of the times but they spoke Swahili. I loved the X-Box because it was the console that all my school friends would talk about but my none school friends preferred the PlayStation. I was a Tanzanian kid who was raised in American culture.

When I arrived in the United States for the first time to pursue my college education my culture shock did not last longer than 2 days. Thanks to the internet I already knew more about the city of Los Angeles than half the people I found there. I didn’t spend more than 2 quick seconds staring at the tall skyscrapers that I had never seen back home. I wasn’t shocked by anything because I had already seen it and experienced it through the internet. I already interacted with Los Angelenos through Online gaming chats and social media years before I even moved there. I already knew the social dos and don’ts of the city, I knew that it was hard to find parking in the city, and I already knew what spot had the best burgers and what streets to avoid at night. I had access to all the necessary information years before moving there thanks to the internet. A lot of my friends in college only found out that I was Tanzanian after a year or two of knowing me because nothing I did gave me away as someone from a different culture. Because I grew up around American culture, I didn’t need a whole year to adjust to this new place like my father did 30 years ago.

Culture, in brief, is the combination of social systems (in particular where we grew up/were influenced the most) that in part shapes how we view the world around us, which in turn helps determine how we behave in that world (PSU, 2019). National cultural values are acquired during those critical early years of life and become a permanent part of a person (PSU, 2019). The world is becoming multicultural in much faster ways because of the internet. A missionary no longer needs to get on a boat to go to Africa to spread Christianity the same way that an African no longer has to fly to America to experience their culture in an influential way. The internet is doing that in a much more efficient way. 

 

References

 

Penn State University. (2020). Organizational Culture Versus National Culture. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2041071/modules/items/27977823

Penn State University. (2020). Overview of Diversity and Culture. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2041071/modules/items/27977816

Africa Needs Good Leadership, Not Just Charity

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Africa, the second largest continent after Asia covering one fifth of the earths total surface, is a continent that has been combatted with endless years of poverty and inhabitable living conditions. While the economic growth for Africa has has seen progress over the years, the number of individuals living in poverty continues to increase. 2015 marks the 20th year since Africa started on a path of faster economic growth. “During that period, growth has averaged 5.2 percent per year. Meanwhile, the number of people on the continent reportedly living under $1.25 a day has continued to creep upwards from 358 million in 1996 to 415 million in 2011—the most recent year for which official estimates exist” (Chandy, 2016).

The cause of these divergent trends can be identified as an issue with the uneven monetary distribution. In most countries within Africa, the distribution seems to only be beneficial for those amongst the wealthiest of the continent, the top one percent, leaving others counting to fight to stay above the poverty line. Another factor could be related to the countries rapid population growth. “While African economies are generating more income, that income has to be shared among an ever-increasing number of people.” In addition, the depth of Africa’s poverty cannot compare to poverty levels of other countries around the world, ultimately setting their poverty level even further back” (Chandy, 2016).

A question I ask myself is, “how can Africa catch up with the world in the fight against poverty?” There is an ongoing discussion on the effectiveness of foreign aid in helping the economic development of Africa. While countries around the globe are being offered aid as well, globalization does not appear to be evolving Africa’s development in an equal distribution. The problem here can certainly be viewed as a leadership issue. “Incompetence in leadership in most African countries is not only the problem of people who occupy positions in government; it is a reflection of the leadership culture.” (Bloomberg) Africa has had different leaders with the same results for many decades. The control that exists between leaders in the government and citizens is also reflected in organizations and families. “In this type of structure, leaders don’t serve; they are being served” (Bloomberg). The issue this creates is that authority driven positions make leaders superior and unaccountable to the people they lead. What Africa does need are replenished leadership development systems. There is a need to democratize the leadership development process in the developing world of Africa.

Due to Africa’s extensive youth population, it can be trusted that change is possible for greater opportunities to influence a new generation of leaders.  “For global leaders to be effective in their trade and development efforts within Africa, they must be realistic in their analysis of its peoples and possibilities” (Moran, 2014). With increased encouragement and access to education and technology, there may be hope for a more forward thinking and all encompassing thought process behind the leadership that drives the economy equally to better standings. The question then becomes, will the economy be able to withstand the wait time until these leaders are able to step forward? This may be a question only time can answer.

References:

Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg, www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-04-24/africa-s-only- way-out-of-poverty-is-to-industrialize.

Chandy, Laurence. “Number of Poor People in Africa Increasing When Africa’s Economies Are Growing?” Brookings, Brookings, 29 July 2016, www.brookings.edu/blog/ africa-in-focus/2015/05/04/why-is-the-number-of-poor-people-in-africa-increasing-when- africas-economies-are-growing/.

Moran, R.T., Abramson, N. R. & Moran, S.V. (2014). Managing cultural differences. (9th ed.). Abingdon: Routledge.

Conflict Mineral Laws – Harming the Wrong People

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Men work at the Mudere mine near Rubaya, digging for manganese and other valuable minerals. (Image Source: Junior D. Kannah/AFP/Getty Images). In the public domain.

 

When the topic of doing business with Africa is mentioned, there is no doubt that the issue of conflict minerals must also be discussed. But what exactly are conflict minerals and what do they mean to US companies planning to do business with Africa or surrounding regions?

This question seems simple enough but in reality it is very confusing and even more difficult to identify and manage. In 2010 in response to providing comfort to the people of Africa being victimized, enslaved, and exploited by armed warlords and in an attempt to “weaken the militias by cutting off their mining profits”, the Dodd-Frank Act was introduced (Raghavan, 2014).

Additionally, due to an increased global need for minerals used in the manufacture of electronics and the belief that “exposing and cleaning up supply chains will reduce the stranglehold armed groups have on Congo’s mines”, Section 1502 was added to the Dodd-Frank Act. This section mandated that organizations listed with the US Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) must identify if they receive any minerals from a conflict region (Wolfe, 2015). Thus the definition for conflict minerals was created.

As defined by the Responsible Minerals Initiative (n.d.):

  • US regulations identify conflict mineral as tantalum, tin, tungsten and gold. (commonly referred to as 3TG)
  • These minerals are identified as being retrieved from any region that “directly or indirectly” supports warfare (often Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC))
  • US Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) requires the registration and identification of all 3TG minerals specifically from the Congo

Although, lawmakers had good intentions, it is commonly believed that these regulations were not effective. Besides not being able to actually accurately trace the source of most minerals through a very complicated multi-level supply chain, the cost to attempt to provide this data is extremely expensive. Thus many companies actually just avoided buying any of these minerals and thus, the selling prices were greatly reduced. Hence, local workers and individual small mine owners were the people that had their livelihoods threatened (Raghavan, 2014).

Additionally, Section 1502 resulted in a “de facto ban on artisanal mining — miners relying on simple hand tools such as hammers and picks — in eastern Congo”. Once again this resulted in harming the hundreds of thousands of individual miners that relied on a daily wage to support their families. “As a result, entrepreneurial armed groups switched to alternative sources of income, such as timber, cannabis and palm oil” (Stoop, Verpoorten, & van der Windt, 2018).

So if the Dodd-Frank Act is really the failure that many experts believe it to be and actually has caused more harm than good to the individuals it was created to protect, what can the US & Africa do to correct their mistake?

  1. Africa needs to take ownership of their contribution to the issue

It is commonly known that Africa is a country steeped in poverty and chaos. However, this is not due a shortage of natural resources. This country has an abundance of assets including but not limited to diamonds, chromium, uranium, gold, cobalt, phosphates, platinum, manganese, copper, and bauxite. While the high levels of poverty have historically been blamed on Europe and the US, current African leaders are beginning to identify and acknowledge that Africa is also to blame for mismanaging their resources and causing their own misfortune (Moran, Abramson, & Moran, 2014, p. 533).

  1. Address the root cause of the violence in the Congo

“As other research shows, ending conflict in these regions requires systemic approaches that address the root causes of the violence”.

Experts have identified that in the violence in the Congo, can be associated mining of natural resources by only about 8%. The majority vast majority of fighting is actually a result of “long-standing political and economic grievances and disputes” (Stoop, et al., 2018).

  1. Engaging local leaders in the design of

Local politicians and lawmakers must be engaged in creating the policies and procedures to follow and also taking ownership of support these concepts to fruition. Suggested proposals from the European Network for Central Africa suggests “setting up reliable mineral-tracing systems, strengthening the public services that assist artisanal miners, providing technical and material assistance to mining cooperatives, and addressing the impunity of national military involvement in illegal mining” (Stoop, et al., 2018).

 

References:

Moran, R. T., Abramson, N. R., & Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing cultural differences (9th ed.). Oxford,UK: Routledge. ISBN: 978-0-415-71735-9

Raghavan, S. (2014, December 2). Obama’s conflict minerals law has destroyed everything, say Congo miners. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/02/conflict-minerals-law-congo-poverty

Responsible Minerals Initiative. (n.d.). What are conflict minerals? Retrieved December 1, 2018 from http://www.responsiblemineralsinitiative.org/about/faq/general-questions/what-are-conflict-minerals/

Stoop, N., Verpoorten, M., & van der Windt, P. (2018, September 27). Trump threatened to suspend the ‘conflict minerals’ provision of Dodd-Frank. That might actually be good for Congo. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2018/09/27/trump-canceled-the-conflict-minerals-provision-of-dodd-frank-thats-probably-good-for-the-congo/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.8ddb1823162d

Wolfe, L. (2015, February 2). How Dodd-Frank is failing Congo. Foreign Policy. Retrieved from https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/02/02/how-dodd-frank-is-failing-congo-mining-conflict-minerals/

African Education

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African style education, the term is not one I can say I have heard readily if ever used. It is something that is important and should be considered whenever one discusses Africa and how she has moved into modern times. Did the colonial peoples understand the way their educational system would or would not mesh with any cultures that were encountered? I would like to think our understanding of even the smallest impact upon another’s culture has advanced significantly since colonial days, and by so granting them a level of pardonable ignorance. What we know of them, does not present a favorable outlook, but Folger, Poole and Stutman propose that “when the offended person is able to empathize with the offender, attribute the behavior to understandable causes, or see his or her own flaws as similar to the offender’s forgiveness may occur” (p.245). Focusing on the negative impacts of the past will harm the future.

How these ties into an African style education is putting in place a way for a culture to learn and teach that fits. To say the European style that was imparted on much of Africa did them a disservice is an understatement, and according to Assie’-Lumumba “by the time formal colonization ended, symbolized by individual countries acquiring their independence, European education had taken root in the social soil of Africa” (2016). Referring to how the European style, weight of topics of importance and how those topics should be learned from, were a large step away from a traditional African Style Education. Much of a European education can be determined to be learned facts and such that may or may not have any day to day significance. Assie’-Lumumba continues by stating “all of the colonial powers created systems of education that aimed to create “new” Africans totally saturated by colonial education” (2016). The disregard for traditional ways of learning and adherence to ubuntu’s core philosophy have created a system that is dysfunctional and does not serve the needs of the people.

The desert of practical application may not mesh well with the daily hardships and challenges of the youth of a small tribe. Diop states that “African intellectuals should study the past not for their pleasure but to learn useful lessons” (1996, p.137). In thinking about the context in which information is of value to the student, this makes sense. The belief of the European style as the superior, ‘one-size fits all’ due to it being so awesome may not be the most enlightened way for a worldwide approach moving forward. For example, the African languages are so different from western understanding their use of gender goes in a very different direction.  Assie’-Lumumba explains “the exclusive use of either of the two genders also makes it possible to avoid any ambiguity regarding the case of separate spheres of control and power, although the philosophical foundation of human relations is profoundly communal as captured in ubuntu” (2016).For Africa, a return to an ubuntu frame-work may be the most valuable way to heal and move forward from the impacts of colonization.

 

References:

PSU. (2018) OLEAD 410. Lesson 14. Africa. Retrieved from: https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1942644/modules/items/24935460

Folger, J.P., Poole, M.S., and Stutman, R.K., (2013). Working Through Conflict: Strategies for Relationships, Groups and Organizations. Seventh Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Assie’-Lumumba, N. T., (2016). Resistance, perverts effects of the single system paradox and the ubuntu framework for renewal. Springer Science + Buisiness Medai Dordrecht and UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning 2016.

https://link-springer-com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs11159-016-9547-8.pdf

Diop, C. A. (1996). Towards the African renaissance: Essays in African culture and development, 1946-1960. London: Karnak House.

AFRICA! AFRICA! AFRICA!

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AFRICA AFRICA AFRICA

I must share with you that I put everything into music in my head and when I think of Africa, in the back of my mind I hear the group Toto, as they sang “I bless the rain down in Africa”…  It’s a very old song, but a very nice one.  If you have moment you should listen to it, it’s kind of catchy.  Come to think about it, it was Africa who brought us the music better known today as the blues, jazz, R &B, rumba, reggae and hip hop! Nice!

Moran (p.500) says that one of Africa’s nicknames is “the continent of beginnings”. As it turns out, almost everyone comes from a lineage of ancient Africans, as many can trace their DNA heritage to Africa.  I recently had my DNA tested and discovered that I am 2% Mali and 1% Congo, Cameroon & Southern Bantu. It is a small percentage, but meaningful to me.  Take a look at the breakdown, isn’t that fascinating? 🙂

Reality is not many of us know much about Africa, I personally did not know much about Africa until I took this class.  I was always intrigued about Africa, but unfortunately, was not exposed to much because in my day to day life, I was occupied with other sources and life experiences.  It’s funny, but I find that when one does not know about a particular subject or place, we seek deep into the archived files of our minds in search for data stored from our experiences (like I immediately started to Sing, Africa by Toto ha ha).  To some people what comes to mind are songs or movies like the Lion King and Madagascar (sorry, I am a kid at heart!) or the amazing beautiful animals in the jungle (see below an actual photo my daughter took last week in Africa).

As an aspiring global leader, I am so pleased to have had the opportunity to learn more through the course of OLEAD – Leadership in a Global Context and the reading of “Managing Cultural Differences” by Robert T. Moran, et al. (9th Edition).  I submerged myself in the case studies of this immense continent of Africa along with its fascinating four geographic regions and the many states within in.   There is so much we can do to contribute to the development this beautiful country.

What about Africa?

Culture in Africa is so rich, and tend to be more human-oriented.  Value is placed on family, let’s take a quick look  at the American culture vs. the African culture.  Did you know that the United States is a low-context culture?  Low-context puts the emphasis on individual achievement instead of group participation. When communicating low-context culture will concentrate more on the exam verbal description of an event and people will rely mainly on the spoken word.   How interesting it is when we compare that to the Africa’s high context culture, where the meaning of the words do not come from the words, but from the environment and the relationships between ideas expressed in the communication process.  In order words, high-context  cultures are more human-oriented.   The most important unit of African society is the family, the tribe is of the utmost importance. The family tribe establishes the guidelines for what is deemed acceptable behavior and the village elders are highly respected and often become judges, mediators and leaders.  (Moran, 511). However, we must not make quick cultural generalizations because there is not just one culture in Africa. Africa cultures are diverse, and dynamic.  In Northern Africa you will find the states of Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Libya and part of Sudan which tend to be closer to the Middle Eastern cultures. There is Central West Africa on the Atlantic side, which is in the midst of an oil boom.  This section is comprised of 14 states known as republics, and to name a few Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo, Cote d’loire, Equatorial Guinea Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Togo.  South Africa is comprised of 11 nations, some of them are Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique  and Madagascar. (Moran, 520)

Doing business in Africa

Africa is a land of great potential and amazing natural beauty, however, it is still underdeveloped. Africa is classified as a third world country, the World Bank classified 39 countries worldwide as being deeply indebted and 33 of those 39 are in Africa!  Africa only contributes 1% to the global economic output. It was shocking for me to learn that less than 10 % of the land is legally owned and that 1 in 10 Africans have deeds or titles to their properties. So how do how do we help make changes? How do we do business in Africa? We must first learn about the people and the beautiful country.

One of the most important aspects of doing business in Africa is building trust and developing friendships because in order to have a successful enterprise in Africa trust and confidence is absolutely necessary and crucial.  One must take the opportunity to get to know their co-workers as individuals first before exchanging in any business activities.  One important factor to remember when doing business in Africa is that friendship always comes before business.   Africans want to sit and talk, they want to get to know the person before discussing any business matters.  Time is often flexible, people will always come first, then time, anyone in a hurry will be considered a person who is untrustworthy and suspicious. Interestingly, this is common in the Hispanic culture as well.  Similarly to Latin America, it is important for a global leader to learn about the cultural trends before learning about the of specific areas.  Africans are very warm and friendly people, a smile means that you are welcomed and they trust you.  I find that smiles are contagious.  There is a unspoken comfort in a smile, an automatic welcome is speaks loudly and clear at the glance of that first smile.

A NEW AFRICA?

There is so much to learn and share about Africa, I would like to go on and on. Let’s focus on how to learn to appreciate the country and the people. Let’s learn what are the problems in Africa.  There has to be a solution we can all work toward, the life expectancy of 47 million South Africans is only 48 years! Africa is already making changes and strides in technology by improving their communication throughout the continent with the use of television and cell phones. An article in the New York Times  “A South African Take on the Vision Fund May be Small, but it carries No Saudi Baggage” highlights an internet and media group called Naspers that plans to invest $315 million into tech start0ups in South Africa, which is only one part of a larger $8.2 billion fund with plans of massive growth in e-commerce ventures.  Changes do not happen overnight, however,  I see a fruitful future, it may not happen tomorrow, but slowly together we can make a change. do not happen overnight, however,  I see a fruitful future, it may not happen tomorrow, but slowly together we can make a change.

Works Cited:

Cropley, Ed. (2018, November 5). A South African Take on the Vision Fund May be Small, But It Carries No Saudi Baggage. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.newyorktimes.com

Moran, R. A., Abramson, N. R., & Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing cultural differences (9th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

Penn State University. (2018). Lesson 14: Africa Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/24935460

The Infectious Smiles of Africa

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The Infectious Smiles of Africa – A Lesson for Human Compassion

My experiences with the African people began with an excursion to Northern Africa.  I spent some time in several of the northern African countries and met some wonderful people, particularly children.   I was told to take pencils with me when I visited the local villages.  The moment I took the pencils out of my satchel, I was surrounded by youngsters.  Their smiling, wide eyes, radiated sunshine and their squeals of laughter made one overcome with pure happiness!  It was a delight to see the joy in these children’s eyes and what a gift of a simple pencil could mean.  Perhaps this was a moment of Ubuntu, a bit of humanity in the smallest form.  There was no language barrier, no ethnic or cultural challenges, no social or political platform, only a simple gesture that warmed the heart and made a connection to all people.

 

This was a good example of a high context culture, one that values interpersonal relationships, as Moran, Abramson and Moran describe this in chapter 15 of their book “Managing Cultural Differences”, high context culture as seen in the African society, it is one that does not come from words, rather internalized in the person (Moran, et al, 2014, p.534).  The Africans tend to be more human oriented, valuing the extended family and sharing with all.  As a leader, working in Africa or with the people Africa, you need to understand this philosophy.

Boyd Varty discuss Ubunto via a Ted Talk presentation as Africa being a harsh place, “I also know it to be a place whose people, animals and ecosystems teach us about a more interconnected world,” says Varty. “[Nelson] Mandela said often that the gift of prison was the ability to go within and to think, to create within himself the things he most wanted for South Africa: peace, reconciliation, harmony. Through this act of intense open-heartedness, he was to become the embodiment of what in South Africa we call Ubuntu. ‘I am; because of you.” Ubuntu is a beautiful concept and can be translated as “human kindness,” but its meaning is much bigger in scope than that — it embodies the ideas of connection, community, and mutual caring for all (May, 2014).

In a recent position I held, I was reintroduced to those African smiles and the human connection those smiles shared.  Working with a global organization, one will encounter much diversity.  Understanding these differences, will help understand who you are working with.  According to Hofstede Insights, much of the continent of Africa is considered a collective society, which is why family, extended family and building good relationships is imperative to success in business dealings. They also have a low score in long term orientation, perhaps it is because tradition is important and change leads to some suspicion.   Uncertainty avoidance varies, but is more on the higher end, meaning these people feel threatened in certain situations and the future has much unknown attached to it.  Africa has seen its share of issues; famine, sickness, disease, poverty, military and political extremism, corruption and conflicts (Moran, et al, p. 505).  Which brings me back to those smiles and the lessons they taught me.

 

Egypt – Blue, Morocco – Purple, Mozambique – Green, Nigeria – Orange

Hofstede Insight

 

Every time I was greeted by these employees, they received me with a big smile and a nod of the head, sometimes an embrace or hand clasping, but those smiles were so contagious.  And I wondered what was behind those smiles.  Each having their own story to tell.

 

Binta was a good employee, I always admired her head wraps and commented on them daily, she always flashed her super smile back at me.  But one day did not come to work, she had to head back to her village to take care of an ailing family member.  I could hear her smile in her voice as she told me what was happening and that she was sorry but needed to do this.  Three years later, she came back looking for a job, when she saw me, she burst out in that smile and her eyes danced with delight, she was hired back and went to the job she had prior to leaving, looking like she never skipped a beat and still wearing those colorful head wraps.

Taalib was heading to his village, to get married in his traditional tribal fashion,  he never meet the girl, but had a big smile on his face as he told me about those traditions.  When he returned from his marriage ceremony, he came alone,  his new bride stayed back in his village with family.  I looked at him with sad eyes and he said “Miss Deb, no worries”, and broke out a big smile.  “I work hard here and next year will bring her here to live with me, in a new home and my family too.  I will see her soon”.  He did 18 months later.

I was interviewing Abede for a new job and asked him about a difficult situation he had to deal within the work environment. What was it? How did he handle it and what was the outcome?  He explained to me he was an engineer working in a large production facility in his country, one day the military came in and starting shooting everything in sight, he crawled on his belly to hide for his safety and waited many hours until he felt it safe to run away.  He ran away that day and came to this country with barely any of his own belongings.  I was speechless.  He looked at me and smiled and said Miss Deb, “I am ok, my family is ok and we are living a good life today” and thanked me.

 

Neema had not seen her family in 5 years, they were finally coming for a visit and she hoped they would stay.  She was full of smiles telling me about her town and where her family had lived and what they did in their country and the pride of her telling me about family and traditions was priceless.

 

And finally, I had Malik and Tariq, brothers who had been living in America several years now.  The eldest, Malik, was heading back to his village to help his family, as there was civil war brewing there and he wanted to defend his village.  A few short weeks later, the younger brother left to help fight as well.  When they both talked to me, they told me I was not to worry about them, they would be fine.  Both giving me a laugh and a big smile showing their confidence and said they would see me in three months.  They returned three month later, flashing their wonderful smile and returned to their work like they never had left it.

 

 

There were more Bintas, Taalibs, Abedes, Neemas, Maliks and Tariqs, all flashing their smiles, eyes always twinkling, each with a story to share; some exciting, some scary, some funny, and some horrific, but they never stopped smiling.  Helping to understand their plight and respecting them for who they were and what they believed in, helped me to build a strong rapport of trust and respect that I had with these employees.  In turn, they helped me look at things differently, all by an infectious smile.

 

Behind those smiles, was hiding so many untold memories of suffering, heartache, disappointment, chaos, incivility, sadness, sickness, hunger, darkness, and hardship.  In spite of those issues, these people showed me that they are strong and resilient, full of hope, happiness, love, and peacefulness within this world.  As leaders, we also need to understand the human connection and how we can be part of the Ubuntu concept.  A smile is a lesson in Ubuntu, I am because of you and we all need some human compassion.  A smile truly can say a thousand words in any language!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References:

Country Comparison. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-  comparison/egypt,morocco,mozambique,nigeria/

I am, because of you: Further reading on Ubuntu. (2017, June 21). Retrieved from https://blog.ted.com/further-reading-on-ubuntu/

Moran, R. A., Abramson, N. R., & Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing cultural differences (9th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

Penn State University. (2018). Lesson 14: Africa Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/24935460

 

Wall Street…in the Congo?

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The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a portion of Africa that is rich in natural resources, but unfortunately rife with government corruption, poverty, and violence. Citizens that want to enact change by electing different officials are blocked from progress due to the government blocking elections since 2016 (CIA). Even with U.N. intervention to assist in ending violence, more groups like the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, the Allied Democratic Forces, and many other small militias have persevered in creating unrest while struggling for power (CIA).

In July of 2010, the United States passed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to attempt to end the illegal trade of natural resources and exploitation in the DRC – primarily tin, tantalum, tungsten and of course….gold (Stoop, Verpoorten, & van der Windt, 2018). In September 2014 a group of scholars proclaimed that the bill does not appropriately protect the resources, or the people of the DRC since only approximately 8% of violence there is due to disputes over resources (Stoop, et al., 2018). The act also created a different avenue of conflict for militant groups and criminals; fighting over the ability to guard certain mines, as well as the discovery that looting civilians became more profitable than trading in illegal natural resources (Stoop, et al., 2018).

A final study done on the act from 2004-2015 actually found that it “does not do what it intended to do” and furthermore, increased the likelihood of armed combat for mines and increased the amount of looting and violence towards the civilian population it was supposed to protect. In June of 2017 the U.S. House passed the CHOICE Act, which is designed to repeal Dodd-Frank and restore the protection of the natural resources back to the DRC.

Cultural differences certainly play a role in communication and working with other nations, but the Dodd-Frank Act truly makes an American citizen wonder if this was truly designed to assist the Congo in lowering violence and protecting resources, or was it put in place to protect American interests and money?

 

References

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The world factbook. Retrievedfrom: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html

Penn State University. (2018). Lesson 05: Learning and change in a global setting.Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1942644/modules

Stoop, N., Verpoorten, M., & van der Wint, P., (2018). More legislation, more violence? Theimpact of Dodd-Frank in the DRC. PloS one, 13(8), 1-19.

 

Africa Innovation is Here Now

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When most people think of Africa they think of lions, safaris, and refugees. Today’s Africa is a much different place with a booming economy being driven by innovation in renewable energy, and technology. Africa is at the forefront of taking waste and making it new again thanks to a new Green Growth Forum. (Ntirenganya, 2018)  Africa has launched a new effort to become the leader in “green technology” which is environmentally friendly. Their energy efforts include:  renewable energy, to energy efficiency for industry and residential applications, recycling technologies (plastic, e-waste, paper waste, among others), clean cooking (biomass, biogas, and energy efficient cookstoves), green building technologies, green transport solutions (such as electric powered motorbikes) that reduce harmful emissions. (Ntirenganya, 2018) One such leader in this industry EarthEnable has created a clay floor that is cheaper than other flooring materials and can help reduce harmful bacteria that is harbored in dirt flooring which has led to a 78% drop in parasite infections. (Ntirenganya, 2018) Leadership in the Green Growth Forum has also found a way to help local farmers boost their crop production by creating manure from organic waste. This effort can help farmers use organic manure to fertilize their crops and bring in more money for their families to reach a higher level of financial independence. (Ntirenganya, 2018)Green jobs are now popping up all over the place. One such entrepreneur Laban Ngeno created a recycling company that has created over 2,000 green jobs. (Ntirenganya, 2018) He never in his wildest dreams imagined that his company would grow the way it has.

Morocco has taken on this challenge and hopes to become the leader in African renewable energy. Masen is the Moroccan leader in solar energy and has set the bar high. They hope they use more than 52% solar or green energy by 2030. (Rogers, 2018) They are utilizing local R&D developers and giving them additional training to help this plan get into place. Their goal for the solar energy program is to “Support African countries, especially those in the Sahel region targeted by the ‘Desert to Power’ initiative, to develop renewable energy technologies adapted to their natural environments and specific energy needs” (Rogers, 2018)

The question of why Africa and why now? In Rwanda, only 18% of the country has access to electricity. (John, 2018) The building that is connected to the energy grid can’t be certain that there will be enough electricity to maintain what they needed daily. This demand for energy has led to Africa importing large-scale power generating sets which have a high rate of pollution. (John, 2018) Due to they’re every growing need for energy African business development leaders have come together to find ways to decrease pollution and increase jobs and incomes (economic development). I think this is a brilliant model for us as future business leaders to learn from. When it would be easy to create fast, cheap, energy leaders said wait a minute and took a step back to find a long-term solution that would benefit business development and citizens. I think all too often it can be hard to think long-term and take the time to find long-term solutions when short terms ones are easier to find and develop. Leadership also is relying on local innovation to help spur their goals along. They have found the talent right around them and are supplying them with the needed education and training to make these plans work. I think this is an astonishing business model that is bringing an entire continent together through research and development to enrich all of their lives for generations to come.

 

Works Cited

John, N. (2018, November). Blockchain can change the face of renewable energy in Africa. Here’s how. Retrieved from World Economic Forum: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/11/blockchain-will-change-the-face-of-renewable-energy-in-africa-here-s-how/

Ntirenganya, E. (2018, November). Experts: Eco-friendly technologies will spur Africa’s economic growth. Retrieved from The New Times: https://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/experts-eco-friendly-technologies-will-spur-africas-economic-growth

Rogers, P. (2018, November). Morocco competing to be the renewable energy leader in Africa. Retrieved from Intelligent CIO: http://www.intelligentcio.com/africa/2018/11/28/morocco-competing-to-be-the-renewable-energy-leader-in-africa/

 

 

Can Somalia Become the Next African Powerhouse Hub?

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The Horn of Africa nation of Somalia has been entangled in violent conflict and political instabilities for many decades. Unlike the independent neighboring Somaliland that relies on the decentralized Ubuntu based leadership with leaders who are respected and supported by its citizens, Somalia continues to rely on the international charity and keeps aiming to establish a strong central state, assuming that only national government institutions and security forces can maintain stability (Harsch et al., 2017).

In addition, Somalia tallies inadequately for most humanitarian indicators, suffering from a deteriorating economy, poor governance, drawn-out internal conflicts, underdevelopment, impoverishment, famine, social and gender inequality, and environmental degradation.  Even though the civil war and starvation raised its mortality rate, Somalia maintains a fast and steady population growth.  Such is attributed to a very high fertility rate of almost 6 children per woman and a very young population with the majority still within a reproductive age (CIA, n.d.).

Although Somalia’s economy is hurt by its lack of ability to collect domestic revenue (stemming mostly from agriculture), as well as the external debt, and hurt by non-existent formal banking or mass corruption, it still offers a unique business opportunity to private and public institutions.  Somalia’s pristine coast (the longest in Africa), paired with its strategically relevant location situated between the Arabian peninsula and landlocked Ethiopia, offers business opportunities open to investors with a high-risk tolerance. Investments in such a volatile country, however, seem to be labeled as avant-garde or bold at the least, as the idea of a business being profitable seems to be far fetched.

Related imageCurrently, Somalia exports livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal and scrap metal to the Arab countries of Oman, UAE and Audi Arabia (CIA, n.d.), however global powers like China and the United States are interested in exploring opportunities in fast developing telecommunication, banking, and even tourism.  In addition, the educated, successful Somali diaspora community around the world feels a very strong connection to their mother country and is helping with sustaining money transfers and investments.  In this context, the World Bank and the Federal Government of Somalia are working together to help support the flow of remittances to Somalia, to ensure they continue to reach people who depend upon them as a critical source of income. Remittances in 2015 were estimated to reach a total of US$1.4 billion in Somalia and support 23% of the GDP (World Bank, 2016). It was crucial that the World Bank acted as a trusted agent in money transfers transactions as Somalia remains vulnerable to money laundering and a risks links to terrorism.
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According to Shaiye (2016), a returning from the US Somali immigrant there’s actually an influx of Somali diaspora returning back home, following many continuous years of improved safety and infrastructure development.

Returning diaspora migrants are positioning themselves with success beyond their wildest imaginations — especially compared to their prospects in the States as opportunities for wealth creation exist most prominently in the hospitality, fine dining and manufacturing sectors and they can bring their global experience back with them.

Increasingly, people also choose to take their savings and invest in startup businesses and NGOs in Somalia to help rebuild the motherland torn by decades of conflict. East Africa’s economic development is flourishing and Somalia is well positioned for a robust growth as the security situation further improves.  Shaiye (2016) notices that some Somali immigrants come back with a modest amount of savings and are able to leverage it into an entire hotel chain and various other lucrative entrepreneurial enterprises.  Many go on to reinvest a sizeable portion of their earnings into building infrastructure, doing charity work and other ways of directly addressing issues that face marginalized communities throughout Somalia.

In many ways, tourism has a great potential for once again becoming a draw for visitors to Somalia.  After all, it is a home to historical sites, beaches, waterfalls in Baidoa, hot springs in Bossaso, mountain ranges, white sands and caves in national parks that may soon be seen operational again.  It will take decades to make Somalia a viable tourism destination that can compete with the likes of Uganda, Tanzania, and neighboring Kenya. But the federal government’s Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism, is moving forward with plans to promote the country and put Somalia firmly back on the map of international tourism (UNSOM, 2018).

Image result for somalia's beach yogaKismayo in southern Somalia has a potential of recapturing former glory as a tourist destination. It has pristine white beaches and jungles from which indigenous wildlife can be seen.

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References

Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ). ( n.d.). The world factbook. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/so.html

Harsch, M.F., Meduna, M.M., Krug, T. (2017, July 2018).  As the U.S. gets more involved in Somalia, beware these three fallacies. The Washington Post. Retrieved from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/07/18/as-the-u-s-gets-more-involved-in-somalia-beware-these-three-fallacies/?utm_term=.d4272bda5cb8

Shaiye, S. (2016, February 2). Why I moved back to Somalia (and you should, too). The Seattle Globalist. Retrieved from: https://www.seattleglobalist.com/2016/02/02/why-i-moved-back-to-somalia-somali-diaspora-seattle/47097
The World Bank (2016, June 10). World Bank Makes Progress to Support Remittance Flows to Somalia. Retrieved from: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2016/06/10/world-bank-makes-progress-to-support-remittance-flows-to-somalia
UNSOM (2018, January 7). After years of conflict, Somalia eager to recapture former glory as a tourism destination. Retrieved from: https://unsom.unmissions.org/after-years-conflict-somalia-eager-recapture-former-glory-tourism-destination

Breaking the Ice

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We learned about the importance of interpersonal relationships and how different cultures interact. We learned how Brazilians like to get to know each other before establishing any kind of professional relationship. Most initial interactions are very informal. The African culture resembles the same values in terms of establishing interpersonal relationships.

Africans believe that trust and confidence are necessary in being successful. Trust and confidence is shown through both verbal and non-verbal language. Nonverbal language is an important factor because a smile, simple nod, handshake, laugh, etc. can show acceptance of the other person. “One of the most important factors to remember when doing business in Africa is the concept of friendship before business. Normally, before a meeting begins, there is general talk about events that have little or nothing to do with the business at hand. This can go on for some time. If the meeting involves people coming together who have never met, but who are trying to strike a deal (an African and a foreigner), the African will try to reach out for friendship first. If in doing so, the African receives a cold response, he may become suspicious and lose interest in the deal,” (Moran, Abramson, & Moran, 2014, p. 512). Cultures who are quite the opposite and like to “get the job done” may interpret this differently. The idea behind that mindset may be that African’s are trying to hide something or cover up relevant information by talking as a distraction. One who is open-minded and understands the importance of interpersonal communication will realize that this is a way to “break the ice” and build trust in the counterpart prior to establishing a professional relationship.

How is this relevant to globalization? If as a society we want to be successful, we have to learn about other cultures in terms of their culture, habits, history, people, etc. How do we do this without getting to know our colleagues on a personal level? I work with colleagues who are Chinese, African, Hispanic, French, and of many other cultural backgrounds. I know about their families, how they were raised, their favorite foods and music, etc. It is the little details that we know about each other that make us successful because it shows our colleagues that interpersonal relationships are valuable. Interpersonal communication has advantages both social and professional. If we take the time to understand what these advantages are we will be become more knowledgeable of cultures other than our own and apply them in our everyday life.

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