If Africa continues to grow at this pace, consumers will buy $1.4 trillion worth of goods and services in 2020—slightly less than India’s projected $1.7 trillion but more than Russia’s $960 billion.

Africa offers a higher return on investment than any other emerging market, according to UN data; and is home to a tremendous market of more than 900 million potential consumers.

The continent is seeing increasingly higher levels of investment in industries such as infrastructure, natural resources, telecommunications, agribusiness, health, energy, and others.

This is such an important time for your business to explore investments in some of the world’s key emerging markets. Partnerships between Your Organizations and African businesses will be formed, during The Africa Meet Africa Conference and Expo 2011 (AMACE 2011) by IBA Global. Businesses of all sizes, representing various industries will be in attendance, eager to find new opportunities to grow and positively impact their bottom line.

WHY ATTEND?

Use our targeted matchmaking programme for pre-scheduled appointments
Meet local corporate executives, Gain exposure with international buyers

Join AMACE 2011 and more than 1,200 of the private and public sector’s top leaders to find out about business and investment opportunities in Africa, the very place where some of today’s major business deals are taking place.

IT IS A CRITICAL TIME FOR YOUR BUSINESS

To explore investments in most of the world’s key emerging markets. Join hundred of private and public sector leaders to find out about business and investment opportunities in Africa.

OUR FOCUS
Enhancing Africa’s Business Opportunities through Effective Public Private Partnerships.

The African continent continues to show potential as a leading foreign direct investment destination for businesses despite the economic downturn nations around the globe are currently experiencing.

According to the Economist Africa’s annual output grew 4.9% faster than the global average of 3.8% in 2000-08. Foreign direct investment increased from $10 billion to $88 billion, which was more than India ($42 billion) and, remarkably, almost as much as China ($108 billion).

The African continent is among the fastest-growing economic regions in the world, attracting foreign direct investment from businesses small to large from around the globe. According to the Harvard Business Review, Africa and Asia

were the only continents to grow during the recent economic recession. Africa’s growth rate increased to nearly 5% in 2010 and is likely to reach 5.2% in 2011. Africa o#ers a higher return on investment than any other emerging market, according to UN data; and is home to a tremendous market of more

than 900 million potential consumers. This reliable growth is due not only to the wealth of opportunities available in Africa, but also due to its continued efforts for greater political stability and an unprecedented level of government reform to attract foreign investment. Africa has proven itself to be an essential asset for any company.

This increase in growth and foreign investment can be attributed to the fact that international businesses can no longer ignore Africa’s potential. The continent is not only the second largest in size and population in the world, but it is also vastly rich in natural resources, a sector which surprisingly only accounts to about a third of the continent’s growth.

Pharmaceutical and telecommunications industries among others are increasingly looking towards Africa as manufacturing costs are cheaper and labour costs in current powerhouses India and China keep increasing. The Economist also mentions the rising sector of ‘frugal innovation’, which involves developing clever designs to serve the poor. International entrepreneurs and organisations would be wise to take advantage of the endless possibilities for development and business ventures that Africa has to offer.

Starting a business venture in Africa successfully requires an understanding of the cultures and societies present on the continent. Africa is still largely considered uncharted territory for the business world compared to other regions, so getting to know the challenges and intricacies of working alongside African colleagues and their traditions could provide your company with an edge by starting on the right foot.

As Africa becomes an increasingly attractive location for international business ventures, we are seeing an increase in the number of corporate and public sector clients who ask for training on African countries like Kenya, Ghana, South Africa and Zambia. These organisations are leading the way in ensuring that their employees have the right level of cultural support and intercultural training they need to successfully adapt to their professional and daily life in Africa.

Providing relocation training courses such as Living and Working in South Africa to international assignees or cross-cultural training for business and management programmes such as Doing Business in Nigeria, you can significantly increase the chances of any business opportunity in Africa succeeding.

With the World Cup hosted in South Africa in 2010, the whole continent has seen an influx of visitors never seen before. This has provided the perfect opportunity for businesses to see first-hand the numerous prospects and benefits of doing business on the African continent. Organisations doing business in Africa over the next few years will lead the way in harnessing the many benefits this greatly diverse continent has to offer.

Through its interaction with various individuals and business owners from different business sectors,
IBA – Global discovered the need to create an opportunity for SMMEs to be up to date with business developments and opportunities within the various provinces of the country and to be better informed of the resources and services made available to them through government entities.

The full day conference will be aimed at and should be attended by:

·   Leading edge information and business contacts
·      Opportunity to interact with industry leaders and experts
·      Opportunity to network and make business connections
·      Facilitate business intelligence
·      Unite businesses and investors
·      Interact with the conference audience of new and established business owners
·      Acquire new clients and business partners/service providers through marketing opportunity at the conference
·      Maximise on the opportunity of adding ideal consumers to the organisation’s database
·      Be acknowledged as an active participant in the development of SMMEs at the conference
·      Host an exhibition stand
·      Address the audience at conference – we’d require you to identify the relevant spokesperson/spokespeople
·      Put your branding up at the Conference
·      Facilitating economic, investment and trade between locally based businesses and SA
·      Facilitate job creation through the SMMEs
·      Facilitate increased revenue to the different provinces through the SMMEs business growth and that of its employees

The PROVINCES UNITED CONFERENCE will provide local government departments and companies the opportunity showcase their services as well as:

• Gain leading edge information and business contacts
• Grow from the opportunity to interact with industry leaders and experts
• The opportunity to network and make business connections
• Facilitate business intelligence
• Unite businesses and investors

Emiley was born in Zambia, raised in Russia and studied in Germany and Spain. At the age of 30, Emiley speaks English, French , German, Russian and Spanish fluently. Emiley has an important role as a CEO in an international company and spends a lot of time traveling around the world for business and leisure. Emiley’s exposure and familiarity with many different cultures has helped her to develop a high level of cross cultural awareness which helps her do business successfully around the world.
When she travels, Emiley values experiencing and discovering different values and traditions. She shows enormous respect towards the new cultures she visits and always tries to understand and appreciate the local rites rather than impose her own culture and vision of the world. Emiley actively seeks dialogue with locals and is not afraid to experience local food and customs. Keen to learn and adapt to as many situations as she can, Emiley has a truly global mindset. In other words, Emiley is acutely aware of global issues and how geopolitical and cultural forces impact international business.
Emiley is an important decision maker and has developed strong cross-cultural negotiation and influencing skills through her various experiences where she has brilliantly succeeded. Indeed, her global state of mind helps her to value diversity and seek people from different cultures and backgrounds rather than people similar to herself.
Emiley is an early adopter and always tries to have the latest technology that help her to stay connected to the world. Emiley’s smartphone, iPad and laptop all help her to actively follow international media. Through reading news magazines and newspapers, watching news channels in hotel rooms and in-flight entertainment on planes such as CNN International and BBC World News, Emiley stays up-to-date with the latest happenings in the global arena.
Emiley and her husband Frank are working hard to ensure that their children develop a similar global mindset and awareness and openness to different cultures by speaking to them in different languages and taking them on trips around the world.

According to new research published by the Harvard Business Review, a ‘global mindset’ is what candidates need to be successful in a global role in which they will need to be capable of adjusting to different environments and have the ability to work effectively with international colleagues. This ‘global mindset’ is defined as having three key elements: intellectual, psychological, and social capital.

Looking at how two people, one with and one without a global mindset, deal with cultural difference and international situations can give us a very good idea of how important having a global mindset is for anyone in a global role.

Alan, a promising employee at a US-based manufacturer was sent to Beijing as general manager for consumer products. He was excited by the challenge and looked forward to helping his company through a difficult period which was due to internal tensions that were interfering with the growth of the company. Before he started his new role he researched Chinese culture and read that the Chinese tend to think collectively and prioritise the interests of the group. As he started his work in China he emphasised the need for cooperation and teamwork amongst his employees in order to improve the situation and achieve the desired results.

After 60 days however there were no visible improvements and Alan found that although his employees had agreed to all of his suggestions, they had not committed to any specific action and were also not holding anyone accountable for the lack of improvements. Alan soon started to lose confidence in his abilities, took a dislike to Chinese food and Chinese culture and ended up returning to the US before the end of his international assignment in China costing the company wasted time and money.

Debra, Alan’s colleague, had a completely different experience when she was sent to Sao Paulo under similar circumstances. She was expected to turn around operations affected by low productivity and poor staff morale in a short timeframe. Unlike Alan, Debra was born in Venezuela to US military parents, had travelled extensively throughout her life and was fluent in several languages. Debra quickly embraced her new position and sought input from the local staff about what needed to be done to improve productivity. She did her research and took every opportunity she could to reach out to her staff. Within months, her project was back on the right track.

So although Debra’s background was more international than Alan’s, why were their experiences so different?

According to experts, the intellectual, psychological and social capitals that make up a ‘global mindset’ are each comprised of three key attributes that can guarantee organisations that their assignees are ready and likely to succeed in an international assignment. These attributes are:

Intellectual Capital: Global business savvy, cognitive complexity and a cosmopolitan outlook.

Psychological Capital: Passion for diversity, thirst for adventure and self-assurance.

Social Capital: Intercultural empathy, interpersonal impact and diplomacy.

Debra’s previous experiences abroad and her knowledge of other languages and cultures helped her to better understand her new employees and how she needed to deal with them in order to increase staff morale, confidence and productivity. She possessed, apart from talent, the ‘global mindset’ required for the international assignment set by her company. While Alan was talented as well, his skills weren’t as transferable to another culture given his lack of previous exposure to an international environment.

Debra was born into a different culture and had international experiences from an earlier age than Alan. However, the skills necessary for success in international assignments are not necessarily skills you are born with but can be acquired through cross cultural awareness training and international exposure.

Cultural awareness training programmes can equip you with the relevant tools and strategies to communicate efficiently with foreign counterparts and reduce the stress coming from a new and international context. They can also help you to adapt your management styles and understand the motivation factors and expectations of your new counterparts, ensuring a good working atmosphere. Getting familiar with their cultural values will also help you to decipher their behaviours and thus avoid critical incidents which can jeopardise a project or a profitable business opportunity.

IBA Global’s specialist courses such as cultural training for Relocation, Managing International Teams or Effective Global Leadership can provide you and your company the necessary knowledge and skills required to thrive in the international arena. By being culturally aware and prepared to work across different cultures, employees of international organisations who posses this ‘global mindset’ are invaluable assets to their company, capable of increasing their chances of success and of profitable international assignments.

Although comprehensive, most of the work in the field to date is comparative, country-specific and focuses on elements of interaction and communication. Only of few cultural studies have focused specifically on how culture affects leaders and managers around the world. Even fewer studies have analysed the required set of skills and leadership capabilities managers need when working in a cross cultural environment.

The GLOBE project is one research programme that looks to determine what qualities and characteristics the ideal leader should have in different cultures and what impact these cultural values and qualities have on global leadership, organisational culture and processes. Initiated by Robert J. House in 1991 and managed at Thunderbird University in Glendale California, the GLOBE project involves about 170 scholars from 61 countries.

By reviewing expected leadership qualities across these cultures, the GLOBE model shows what leaders should be aware of when operating in that country. For example, the research suggests that Americans look for leaders who will give them power and autonomy and lead the way with bold and clever ideas. Chinese on the other hand typically want their leaders to be able to give precise directions and orders but also inspirational and someone to look up to.

To find and isolate the most relevant cultural features, researchers working on the GLOBE project wrote and translated two questionnaires which focused on working styles within companies as well as the society as a whole. Through the analysis of the completed questionnaires nine cultural orientations were identified that relate to the characteristics of the perfect leader.  These nine cultural orientations are described briefly below.

Uncertainty Avoidance: the extent to which person or organisation tries to avoid unknown or unexpected situations and controls future events. In a management context this can be illustrated by the number of processes companies implement, the use of social rituals or the importance of bureaucracy.

Power Distance: how the power is shared within society or an organisation. The power distance value directly impacts organisational charts, the way decisions are made or even how people interact.

Individual Collectivism: how organisations and society incite people to share or undertake collective actions. In the business world, this value impacts the way people work, for instance alone or within groups.

Societal Collectivism: the level of pride and loyalty displayed by individuals toward their family, social group or company.

Gender Egalitarianism: how power is shared between men and women and how differences between genders are perceived. In organisations, this value is illustrated by the presence (or not) of women within the decision making sphere.

Assertiveness: the accepted degree of directness and aggressiveness within social and work relationships between individuals.

Future Orientation: the extent to which persons and organisations are ready to plan for the future. In organisations this value is illustrated in the confidence displayed in the future, the will of investing or the entrepreneurial spirit expected from the employees.

Performance Orientation: how performance and striving for excellence is rewarded by society or organisations. Organisations in strong performance oriented cultures will emphasise professional success before personal development.

Humane Orientation: the degree of reward individuals can get through kind, generous and altruistic behaviour.

The research conducted to date has been presented in the following two books:

• Culture, Leadership and Organisation – an overview of the methodology and an analysis of 62 countries
• Culture and Leadership across the World – an in-depth analysis of 25 countries

Cross cultural awareness training courses like Effective Global Leadership or Building International Teams can increase your understanding of cultural models such as the GLOBE project and how you can use them in your working context. Being aware of cultural differences and leadership expectations around the world will help you to motivate, inspire and manage counterparts more effectively while minimising the risks of critical incidents or misunderstanding.

Here IBA Global has summarised some of the highlights of the report:

International Assignees

PricewaterhouseCoopers foresee a 50% rise in the number of international assignees, but as the baby boomers slowly begin to retire, new generations of international workers will appear to replace them. New generations of international assignees will be motivated by different factors and have diverse career goals.

According to the report, The Generation Xers will arrive at their full career potential in 2020. They will be selective about their assignments and try to maximise their income. They will be joined by the Millennials who tend to perceive international assignments as a rite of passage and are more likely to work abroad longer and come back to their homeland later in their career. In 2020 we will also still see some of the baby boomers working and seeking the best assignments in order to keep high incomes and maintain their living standards.

Competition between Companies

According to this report, the competition between firms will continue to increase in the near future so companies will have to fight even harder to hire and retain the most talented and high level employees. To find this new talent, international companies will have to recruit worldwide while they will also have to find ways of encouraging their employees to stay in the organisation.

According to the PricewaterhouseCoopers’ study, while remuneration policies will remain the main incentives, they will no longer be sufficient to retain talented employees. Companies will have to adapt to their employees’ core values and provide them with challenging and stimulating roles around the world.

New Destinations

Emergent countries will have reached their full potential in 2020 resulting in new global mobility patterns. Instead of having personnel going from Northern to Southern countries, firms will increasingly send their employees to any country in the world.

The constant search for new talent will drive international companies to scout the foreign market for employees who bring a high level of competence, knowledge and experience. For example, the report shows the case where a Chinese organisation may hire a European worker and send him or her to work in Africa.
Changes to demography around the world will also impact the mobility flow. Indian cities for instance will become more important as their educated population overtakes key urban centres in western countries making India an attractive place for doing business. Bangalore, for example, has been reported to have a huge population of experienced global mobility professionals which is attracting many western organisations looking to outsource some of the business processes.

In addition to the above, the report also highlights several challenges and obstacles for the international assignees of the future that can jeopardise their success. Among these challenges are the impact of culture, increased interaction with different ethnic groups, loss of social networks and difficulties finding an occupation or employment for partners and children.

Cross cultural awareness training courses like Living and Working in India or Partner and Family Training can help by providing key insights and knowledge about the target culture and strategies for dealing with cultural adaptation. The skills developed on an intercultural training course can ensure that international assignees today and in 2020 will have the support they need to be successful anywhere in the world.

IBA Global Volunteer Program is seeking to educate and develop young people worldwide by providing inclusive opportunities for them to make a positive difference to the lives of others through a distinctive, challenging, structured and supported international volunteering experience in a culture and community different from their own.

Through global volunteering, we aim to give young people the opportunity to experience the world beyond their community and to truly engage with it.  We seek to develop  young people’s awareness and responsibilities towards themselves and others, and equip them with vital life skills.

Our vision is of a world where all young people contribute to a more dynamic, caring and tolerant society as responsible global citizens.

Our Global beliefs and values

• We believe in the adaptability and creativity of young people and their power to drive positive cultural change
• We value the practical support and contribution young people can make
• We believe cross cultural international exchange, integration and collaboration fosters understanding between different nations and cultures
• We value lifelong learning through practical action, experience and reflection

Our  Global approach

• We balance independence for our volunteers with our duty of care
• We work with partners based on relationships of trust, openness and respect
• We strive for continuous improvement, actively encouraging creativity and developing ideas
• We provide caring and committed services and support to our hosts and volunteers
• We acknowledge the valuable work of our volunteer staff and supporters

Apply Now!

For the best chance to secure your first preference, complete an application form and submit it to us as soon as you can. Many of our most popular placements will be filled months before the application deadlines.  Additionally, by applying early you are giving yourself more time to fundraise and prepare yourself for your placement.

Please note: To be eligible for the IBA Global Volunteering placement you must be 18 by the time you start your placement.

Global Scholars center their work on advancing their future career goals in Business and entrepreneurship. The Global Scholar Exchance program explores regional economic integration and fosters better understanding of globalization and related policy issues. By the end of their internships, students are equipped with the skills, knowledge and understanding coveted by organizations and governments engaged in today’s global environment. Topics covered include globalization, global and regional trade, energy security, sustainable development, micro-finance and other contemporary issues.

This is a multi-disciplinary program, welcoming students from all majors with an interest in globalization and its impact on trade, international and regional security, economic development, labor and the environment. The program combines a mixture of internship work and in-classroom experience.

The program includes study focused on:

• In-depth understanding of Entrepreneurship.
• Facilitating strategic global partnerships.
• Promoting the best business practices.
• Examining poverty, health, gender equality, access to education, the environment, sustainability, and other important issues.
• International Studies
• Global and regional trade

The program also promotes the exchange of cultural knowledge and skills and provides a platform for structured conversation.

The program takes place in USA, Germany, South Africa, Uganda, Rwanda, Namibia and Brazil.

Created in Partnership with Sierra Nevada College Lake Tahoe, Incline Village USA, The Global Scholar Exchange Program USA will take place in 2012. Since its inception the program has hosted 82 students in South Africa, Namibia and Uganda. Students have come from Salvador and Sao Paulo, Brazil; Chennai, India; Saint Petersburg, Russia; Stuttgart, Berlin, Pforzheim, Germany; and the United States.

 A Great Way to Launch a Career  |  A Great Way to Learn    |   A Great Way To Live

Powerful keynote presentations will educate and inspire all attendees. Intimate breakout sessions, one-on-one coaching and power networking will provide you with the insider knowledge and connections that can change your life.

World-class business leaders, investors, innovators and dealmakers will help YOU achieve YOUR BUSINESS GOALS. Whether you fly, drive or RUN to Cape Town and Johannesburg, you must attend this event.  Bring business cards, a notepad and a list of business goals, because you’ll meet the people who can make them happen!

Entrepreneurs: A Unique Opportunity for  business finance to kick-start your business for your New-product, or invention.

Small Business Funding: If you are an entrepreneur looking for small business funding or even funding your startup business idea then Entrepreneur & Investors Conference is the place for you. We feature some of the best small business funding opportunities currently available in Africa
Venture Capital Investors: If you are an entrepreneur looking for venture capitalists or to invest in your business or startup idea or are looking for new way to access venture capital investors, then Book now to attend the Conference.

Business Finance: If you are an entrepreneur looking to raise business finance or small business finance for your startup business idea, Entrepreneur and Investors Conference can connect you with angel investors that are seriously looking at investing into small business finance investments just like yours.

Small Business Grants: and raising finance for your start-up business. If you are an entrepreneur looking for grants to fund or finance small business or a startup business idea, Entrepreneur and Investors Conference  can connect you to angel investors that have capital in reserves and are actively looking for lucrative business investment opportunities just like yours.

Investors: Angel groups and High net worth individuals’: Entrepreneur and Investors Conference  has the most extensive bookings from early-stage and seed investment start-up proposals  for Angel Investors, geared towards seed or early-stage investment, all rounds of funding,expansion/growth capital, and research and development (R&D) Funding.