African Firms Expanding into Global Markets through Partnership

As companies shift to take advantage of global markets, a key question is how to develop a strategy that will allow them to compete globally. One company in South Africa, Bizworks, took advantage of government objectives and programs, multilateral agreements, and partnerships across global regions to lay out a global strategy. Mfanu Mfayela, Chief Executive Officer of Bizworks, joins AfribizTalk to share his experience.

Myafela explains that Bizworks is involved in the business processing outsourcing (BPO) industry in South Africa, which is small compared to India. He shares that government organizations in the country see the potential of this industry to create jobs, so they have developed incentives and opportunities for firms like his to grow. Since South Africa is an English-speak country, it is natural for South African firms to expand into other English-speaking markets. Myafela adds that Bizworks goal is to also reach non-English speaking markets as well. This is an arena where partnership plays a key role in enabling Bizworks to enter other markets.

But partnership can be a tricky path. That’s why Myafela says multilateral forums like the India, Brazil, South Africa (IBSA) Forum present opportunities to find trusted partnerships.

Myafela indicates that Business Unity South Africa (BUSA), Business Process Enabling South Africa (BPESA), NASCCOM in India, and Outsource Brazil are working together in alignment with frameworks set under IBSA. The next event bringing everyone together is the South-South Innovation Summit the last week of October 2010.