What Somalis can teach south africans

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http://thoughtprint.usb.ac.za/Pages/What-can-Somalis-teach-South-Africans-about-business.aspxLindiwe Zulu, the minister of small business development in South Africa, caused no small stir at the beginning of this year when she cautioned foreign business owners in South Africa's townships to share their trade secrets with their native counterparts.

Prof Marius Ungerer, who lectures in Management Consulting and Strategic Management at USB, says the following about these foreign entrepreneurs: "We as South Africans can learn from successful entrepreneurs from other countries. Research on Somali traders indicated that they follow very specific retail practices to enhance their competitiveness. One set of routines focus on supply chain optimisation by working in self-organised local business networks in the form of a trade association. This business network realises benefits for members, such as bulk buying schemes to increase price
 
Will not work. Kenyans for years have been trying to copy us and has not worked for them once. Since for us it is really cultural.

Business lessons I have learned from Somali traders
http://www.africasupplychainfrontie...s-lessons-i-have-learned-from-somali-traders/
However, research has shown that with most business successes, to identify and to replicate, are two separate issues. During a recent market research project in Mombasa, Kenya (a city well accustomed to Somalis), local traders could describe in great detail the strategies and tactics used by Somali traders. A number of local traders have collaborated and implemented risk pooling strategies, however with limited success. As one Mombasa entrepreneur put it to me, “we know what they do, but it’s difficult, as trust is in short supply in this neighbourhood.

Look here we Somalis are so cocky we even tell people what we do it's not even a secret. But since they don't collectively operate under the code of Somali culture and social structure it is futile to try and copy us.
 
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