The mind of African strategists

by Nimi Wariboko

Most of the study of African economies in the nineteenth century is limited to the analysis of European demand for raw materials and the opening up of African markets for European manufactured goods, with most analysts treating the Africans who participated in the transatlantic trade in this period as mere agents reacting to European impulses. Consequently, much research on African economies heretofore has not focused on African organizational management history and business strategy. This new research redresses the balance. This work also identifies the "concept of strategy" used by the management of Kalabari Incorporated. The corporation's concept of strategy was not one great plan, made by a great mind, fitting resources and capabilities to opportunities, Rather, it was the flow of small, innumerable, incremental decisions made by all staff to leverage and stretch the organization's resources, to beat the competition, and to create sustainable competitive advantages. The book consid