Lauri Elliott

This 20-minute BizBrief covers the components of and process for developing a business model.  The business model answers the question, “How do we logically create value,e g., products and services, for our customers?”  It demonstrates how you will execute your competitive strategy.  The business model serves as the core input for a business case, business concept document or a business plan.

The topic objectives are:

• Describe the role of the business model in an enterprise’s strategy and operation.
• Identify customer element of the business model.
• Identify process element of the business model.
• Identify network and channel element of the business model.
• Identify financial element of the business model.
• Identify steps to develop business model.

The seminar is available for online and mobile platforms as a video or audio below.  You will also find links for the seminar slides  and additional resources below.

Seminar Video (MP4)

Seminar Audio (MP3)

Seminar Slides (PDF)

How to Describe and Improve Your Business Model to Compete Better (Draft Document)

Business Model Generation Book

 This short seminar lays out the general business context facing every organization today and moving forward.  It gives you a high-level view of the factors you need to consider when formulating successful strategies.

The seminar objectives are:

• Describe business context.
• Identify the dynamics of today’s and tomorrow’s business context.
• Identify appropriate organizational structures for today’s and tomorrow’s business context.
• Identify two appropriate approaches to today’s and tomorrow’s business context.

Access the seminar for free here.

Originally posted at www.afribiz.info.

Economic zones are geographic areas designated to promote trade and economic development with in a country.  They have more liberalized economic policies than the countries in which they reside.  Typical advantages for businesses and investors include tax incentives, better infrastructure, institutions and processes for business, and freer flow of imports or exports.  Like economic hubs and regional economic communities, economic zones present an excellent strategic advantage for those interested in doing business in Africa.

There are different forms of economic zones, from free ports to information processing zones.  Currently, Africa has approximately 90 economic zones according to the International Labor Organization (ILO).  To learn about the global trends and issues associated with economic zones, check out a presentation from the Foreign Investment Advisory Service conference called “Economic Zones: Learning from Global Experience.

Many of the African economic zones started as export processing zones (EPZ).  However, several African nations have noticed declines in their viability and benefit alone, particularly with increased  competition.  They are looking to diversify development of economic zones to emulate the success of places like Dubai.  Kenya has recently announced they will be transforming their export processing zones to economic zones.  The Kenya Investment Authority and the Kenyan Export Processing Zones Authority can provide more information about their economic zones.

Another model for concentrating and leveraging economic activity is clusters.  Clusters are a group of enterprises in close geographic proximity that produce similar or related products in a particular field, e.g., nanotechnology, leather, diamonds.  Michael Porter popularized the concept of competitive clusters, but globally nations are seeing clusters as part of the future of economic policy.

 Last year, a continental forum, Pan-African Competition Forum (PACF), was established to promote the development of clusters on the African continent.  The PACF evolved from the initial success of the Innovation Systems and Cluster Programme – East Africa.  East Africa is setting the pace for competitive clusters.  Check out some of the clusters organized in the last several years here.

To explore the opportunities available with economic zones and clusters, the first step is to speak with the national investment promotion agency for any African country.  They serve as excellent launch pads for understanding the business path in a country.  For the website locations of African promotion agencies, check here.

To enhance your understanding of economic zones and clusters in Africa, we also are providing “BizBits” throughout this month.  These are snippets throughout each day focused on economic zones and clusters. To follow or join the BizBits feed, click here.