globalEDGE Blog - By Tag: South-Africa

In the business world, sports may be best recognized for the many benefits they offer to individual businesses such as sponsorships, brand building, venues for advertisement, and marketing opportunities. However, sports also have major impacts on economies all around the world. It’s no surprise that international sporting events like the World Cup and the Olympics greatly affect the economies of host countries. These economic effects can be positive or negative and can have implications not only on a regional level but a global level as well.

Read More...

Africa is the second largest mobile phone market in the world. Does this fact surprise you? Probably, but Africa is expected to reach over 700 million mobile subscribers in the next year. Not only is the African mobile market large in size, it is also the fastest-growing on the planet as well.  This provides an abundance of opportunity for investors, technology and mobile companies, and service providers.

Read More...

Most African economies are known for their valuable commodities like oil, copper, and gas. But as of late, countries in Africa are adding a new focus to their economies with technology innovation. Countries throughout the continent have acknowledged technology as a key component in the battle to boost prosperity. This has sparked a technology revolution in a continent with high ambitions.

Read More...

Lately Africa has been attracting beer companies from around the world, as they look to start new ventures. Breweries interests have already begun in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Juba, Sudan. At the end of 2008, Africa produced 5% of the world’s beer supply, a number which has continued to grow since then. Although beer production has been popular in Africa since the 1990’s, companies have begun to increase their investments in the continent since African locals have struggled to be able to mass produce the product in the past.

Read More...

We’ve heard a lot this week about how people worldwide are changing how and where they travel. It seems a fitting end to the series, then, to discuss what the future may hold for global tourism. One of the ways to do this is to examine sports tourism, one of the hottest new trends in the global tourism industry.

Read More...

Widespread use of the Internet has led to a decline in the prevalence of traditional brick-and-mortar businesses, and this disparity will continue to shift as more people worldwide are provided with Internet access. Buying online is simply more convenient, and most of the time more affordable than traveling to a physical location and purchasing a good or service. Even more convenient, however, is the ability to conduct business and make purchases while on-the-go. With an increasing number of smartphones sprouting up all over the world, making purchases has never been easier. Mobile commerce is a trend we can expect to see entire business strategies built around. 

Read More...

So we've heard about a lot of the positives about what a World Cup can bring a country, but is it really all gravy for South Africa?

Read More...

With the excitement of the World Cup evident in South Africa, there is also great pride and unity among locals.  The energy of the World Cup has spread all over the country, and has even hit the poorest areas.  This energy has provided harmony among citizens and although many areas in South Africa are still suffering, right now everything is about football.  Problems such as poverty stricken homes and jobless citizens still exist, but they are being put on hold for a very important event for South Africa.  During the game between Mexico and South Africa, over 3,000 locals gathered in a park to enthusiastically watch the game. The World Cup has greatly improved the moral of South African citizens. 

Read More...

As the 2010 World Cup kicks off, there are a lot of interesting stories not only on the pitch, but on the business side of things as well. They include fake goods and counterfeit products, local food vendors being pushed out, extra investments, 'green' jerseys and huge sponsorship deals. This week we will be writing about the impact that the World Cup has on South Africa, sponsorships, copyrights and the economics of running an event such as a World Cup. We hope that you'll join us this week!

Read More...

South African President Jacob Zuma has recently visited India in a bid to strengthen bilateral trade and investment between the two countries. Both are developing nations and are very interested in attracting investment from each other. India and South Africa are thirsting for more business from companies in both countries. India is specifically looking towards bigger investments in infrastructure and a chance to tap into South Africa's rich natural resources.

Read More...

Recent calls by the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League to nationalize South Africa’s mining industry have resurrected a seemingly never-ending debate: to nationalize or not. What implications would nationalization have on the global mining economy as a whole?

Read More...

Business and Africa are not always two words you hear in the same sentence. However, with globalization being such a huge component of today’s business, it is important for companies to always be on the lookout for new places to expand. More and more things are being exported and imported these days. It appears nearly impossible to do business without crossing a border into another country. One country that has recently come onto the international business radar is South Africa.

With a rapidly growing population and a rising middle class, South Africans are seeking out many of the same products and brands that other developed nations have become accustomed to. This means there is an opportunity for businesses to enter and prosper in this expanding market.

Read More...