The Endogenous African Business: Why and How It Is Different,Why It Is Emerging Now and Why It Matters

ABSTRACT

Africa is currently undergoing a transition that is unprecedented in its history. For the first time, the demand of urban populations pulls business development, thus creating economies with higher levels of specialization than before. This essay highlights the phenomenon of the endogenous African businesses that are arising in this process. These businesses tap into the natural resources and the social, economic, and cultural systems that build upon them. These resources and systems make the African business environment different from business environments in other parts of the world. Furthermore, the endogenous businesses have access to knowledge on how to manage modern businesses in the formal sector of the economy. In combination with African resources and systems, such knowledge enables them to create and sustain and competitive advantage in modern dynamic marketplaces. Endogenous African businesses are important because they have the potential to fuel economic growth, to revitalize rural areas, to contribute to food security and healthy diets, and to provide role models of which Africans can be proud. Hence, these businesses deserve our attention in the next two decades of scholarly research and education on African business.     

For Mountain-Climbing Enthusiasts, Is a Must

For many mountain-climbing enthusiasts,Mount Taishan(泰山tài shān)is a must.Previously called Daishan Mountain,Mount Taishan is also known as the Great Peak,the Great Mountain and the Eastern Mountain.It is a perfect combination of culture and natural landscape,and can also be considered as the symbol of the Chinese nation.     

For Mountain-Climbing Enthusiasts,Taishan Is a Must

For many mountain-climbing enthusiasts,Mount Taishan(泰山 tài shah) is a must.Previously called Daishan Mountain,Mount Taishan is also known as the Great Peak,the Great Mountain and the Eastern Mountain.It is a perfect combination of culture and natural landscape,and can also be considered as the symbol of the Chinese nation.     

The Business Value of Process Flexibility

Promising to cope with increasing demand variety and uncertainty, flexibility in general and process flexibility in particular are becoming ever more desired corporate capabilities. During the last years, the business process management and the production/operations management communities have proposed numerous approaches that investigate how to valuate and determine an appropriate level of process flexibility. Most of these approaches are very restrictive regarding their application domain, neglect characteristics of the involved processes and outputs other than demand and capacity, and do not conduct a thorough economic analysis of process flexibility. Against this backdrop, the authors propose an optimization model that determines an appropriate level of process flexibility in line with the principles of value-based business process management. The model includes demand uncertainty, variability, criticality, and similarity as process characteristics. The paper also reports on the insights gained from applying the optimization model to the coverage switching processes of an insurance broker pool company.     

富士施乐：CSR即是经营

2012年,富士施乐迎来了创立50周年纪念。公司自创建以来始终坚持的基本理念是：通过更好的沟通促进客户与社会的理解,并在此基本理念下开展业务。这一经营理念源自施乐公司创始人J．C．Wilson的经营哲学,即“我们的业务目标是通过更好的沟通,实现人与人之间更好的理解”。     

Virtue Is Good Business: Confucianism as a Practical Business Ethics

This paper argues Confucianism is a compelling managerial ethic for several reasons: 1) Confucianism is compatible with accepted managerial practices. 2) It requires individuals and organizations to make a positive contribution to society. 3) Recognizes hierarchy as an important organizational principle and demands managerial moral leadership. 4) The Confucian "golden Rule" and virtues provide a moral basis for the hierarchical and cooperative relationships critical to organizational success. The paper applies Confucianism to the H. B. Fuller in Honduras: Street Children and Substance Abuse case.     

保密的苹果

对于苹果来说,保密只是手段．最终的目的还是要吊足公众的胃口。苹果知道很多时候就该安安静静地“消失”在公众视线中,然后“砰”的一声丢出一个炸弹,好戏开始了……     

Why An International Code of Business Ethics Would Be Good for Business

Many international business training programs present a viewpoint of cultural relativism that encourages business people to adapt to the host country's culture. This paper presents an argument that cultural relativism is not always appropriate for business ethics; rather, a code of conduct must be adapted which presents guidelines for core ethical business conduct across cultures. Both moral and economic evidence is provided to support the argument for a universal code of ethics. Also, four steps are presented that will help ensure that company ethical standards are followed internationally.     

为什么WTO是模范国际法

本文结合作者参与WTO工作,特别是争端解决工作的经历,解释了为什么提出"WTO是模范国际法"这一观点。本文认为,WTO有一套规则体系,而且这套规则得到了有效的实施。此外,中国在WTO中有丰富的法律实践和深远的影响。最后,本文对国际国内普遍存在的对WTO的"误解"、"虚无"和"漠视"现象进行了剖析。     

Business Ethics in China

First I briefly review the emergence and development of business ethics, following three stages (1978–1984; 1984–1994; 1994 to the present) and driven by four factors: the inheritance of Chinese traditional ethics; the influence of Marxist philosophy and ethics; the reflections on the economic reform; and the influence of business ethics from abroad. Then, from a practical and a theoretical perspective, I discuss the main challenges for business ethics in China: issues of the economic system, of corporate ethics, and of management. After commenting on the role of business ethics for the social development in China, I offer some reflections about what China can contribute to, and learn from, other peoples.     

Helping Professionals in Business Behave Ethically: Why Business Cannot Abdicate Its Responsibility to the Profession

This paper compares the findings of studies of seven groups of professionals in various key segments of the fields of accounting and insurance conducted during 1990 through 1994 in an effort to determine the extent to which they tend to rely on various factors in their business and professional environments for help in behaving ethically in the course of their work. Commonalities among the findings for these rather diverse groups are highlighted and their possible implications for business and the professions are discussed.     

The Challenge of Developing a Business Ethics in China

The challenge of developing a business ethics in China in response to today’s increasing demands of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is examined within the context of recent business scandals, food scare, labor issues, and environmental degradations the country is now experiencing. Two surveys on CSR are reported. This paper reports the recent CSR development in China and outlines the profile of a prospective business ethics for China. The formal constraints and substantive components of this business ethics are proposed against the background of China’s cultural and ideological heritage.     

商家,不妨学学“截拳道”

<正>最近与两位企业界老板交谈,针对当前的金融危机,我问他们企业是如何应对的? 一个说:这是一个全球性的危机,想抵抗住它是不可能的,他们企业主要的防御手段,就是提前     

未来五年,洋家具覆盖全中国

2005年1月1日,中国家具进口关税将降到零,实行零关税与国际市场接轨。过去,我们把外资企业进入中国比喻“狼”来了。现在不仅是“狼”来了,而是“狼群”来了。家具实行零关税后,世界各国家具将长驱直入挺进中国市场。到中国来不仅是销售,而是来安营扎寨,“定     

International Business Education in China

The purpose of this:paper is to provide a general descri tion of the international business education in the People's Repub!e of China. Specificall , three key .elements, vir. the system; the curriculum; and the facu r ty are discussed. Information contained in this paper contributes as foundation upon which further research can be built to enhance the understanding and subsequently the irnprovement of the international business education in such a country where international business is inevitably emerging.