A common view is only the wealthy can afford to be sustainable. However, is being sustainable as costly as we think? According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, the cost of solar and wind energy has fallen by 69% and 18% respectively between 2010 and 2016, and soon, renewable energy will be cheaper than fossil […]
On the face of it, the alarmist exhortation to “go digital or die” seems to fall into the category of hyperbolic scare-mongering lines desperate salespeople peddle a week before their targets are due. One might feel justified in scoffing at its fear-based pretentions to import and carry on about one’s business. Then again, did somebody […]
Enabling suppliers to serve a digital economy requires a disruptive take on development The digital economy is an increasingly pervasive concept within the global, African and South African business world. It seems like you cannot cross the street without being overwhelmed by hype around machine learning, artificial intelligence, or the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Setting cynicism […]
Consulting, Economic Development, Insights, Planning & Strategy, Strategy, Supplier Development, Tools & Methods
A negative perception exists that enterprise & supplier development (ESD) is a compliance cost. Business owners believe they are being forced to donate 3% of their net profit after tax (NPAT), and divert procurement spend, to companies that offer little ROI or are at worse incompetent. What if ESD was not viewed as a cost, […]
When I attended Oxford University between 1990 and 1991, I met and got to know Adrian Enthoven very well, with our paths overlapping while I was there. When I came back to South Africa in 1991, by the end of the year, Adi introduced me to his father Dick who, with his brother, Patrick Enthoven, […]
Insourcing provides workers with a “livable” wage, fringe benefits and opportunities which are seen as perks to employment in corporate South Africa. This assists workers to develop and progress out of their circumstances. If done effectively, insourcing assists organisational stability, projects a positive public image and increases trust between both internal and external stakeholders. We […]
Shifting consumer values in the personal care industry have led to ructions within the market. Established firms are changing their operating model and product lines to meet new consumer demands, particularly for natural and sustainable products. Cirebelle, the chemicals solutions provider and part of Letsema, has already made moves in this direction to adjust to […]
Life’s ‘wicked’ problems can seldom be solved from within the paradigm in which they exist. Approaching problems from the point of view of the customer provides a relevant and revealing way to step outside established paradigms and find fresh perspective. However, in the public sphere, policymakers are often distant from their customers – the citizens […]
Localisation, which was expected to be a ‘game changer’ when legislatively introduced seven years ago, has made an impact on South Africa, but not to the degree it is capable of thus far. There is significant room for improvement so localisation can be fully optimised for the benefit of the South African economy and all […]
