Policy makers and scholars consider private enterprise development as one of the most promising avenues of economic growth in Africa. To grow, enterprises must improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their operations, often through internationalisation. It is generally believed that internationalisation enhances the technological and managerial capacities of firms and also helps them to leverage other types of resources not immediately available within their own countries. In recent years, there has been an upsurge of interest in exploring the extent to which African firms are integrated into global business networks, and the benefits, if any, derived from such integrations. The above informed the need for an empirical investigations in Ghana from 2002-2003, the results of which are presented in this book. Based on the experiences in Ghana, contributors to the volume explore the issues of internationalisation in Africa by focusing on firm-level activities and inter-firm relations rather than on macro issues. They draw on dominant theories of internationalisation to explore issues such as sustained competitive advantages of firms, management and business relations in export processing zones, organisational structures, competence and leadership; culture, learning and cross-border inter-firm linkages as well as finance and stock exchange performance in Ghana. Internationalisation and Enterprise Development is a major contribution to the body of knowledge on enterprise development in Africa in general, and Ghana in particular. It is a must-read to all who are interested in Africa's enterprise development including the role played by internationalisation in that process.

Economic growth is one of the most cost-effective ways of dealing with poverty in Africa. Growth lifts many people out of poverty and at the same time generates the government revenues necessary for investments within the social sector. Thus the design and implementation of business development policies remains a major challenge in most African countries. This entails supporting businesses to be integrated within the global economic structure without being easy victims of unscrupulous and opportunistic investors. During the past two decades successive Ghanaian governments have implemented private sector development policies aimed at stimulating growth through internationalisation of local enterprises and attracting foreign investors. Contributors to the volume provide an overview of the impact of these policies on the Ghanaian business environment and the strategic orientations of managers. They also offer an insight into the productivity and performance of exporting firms, the financial and knowledge acquisition strategies they adopt, their degree of market orientation and corporate social responsibility and the challenges faced by African policy makers and managers learning to operate within an increasingly turbulent global economy. The book situates the Ghanaian experience within the broader context of African economic growth and calls for African economic integration as a platform on which African firms can build their competitiveness and operate more effectively within the global economy.

Policy makers and scholars consider private enterprise development as one of the most promising avenues of economic growth in Africa. To grow, enterprises must improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their operations, often through internationalisation. It is generally believed that internationalisation enhances the technological and managerial capacities of firms and also helps them to leverage other types of resources not immediately available within their own countries. In recent years, there has been an upsurge of interest in exploring the extent to which African firms are integrated into global business networks, and the benefits, if any, derived from such integrations. The above informed the need for an empirical investigations in Ghana from 2002-2003, the results of which are presented in this book. Based on the experiences in Ghana, contributors to the volume explore the issues of internationalisation in Africa by focusing on firm-level activities and inter-firm relations rather than on macro issues. They draw on dominant theories of internationalisation to explore issues such as sustained competitive advantages of firms, management and business relations in export processing zones, organisational structures, competence and leadership; culture, learning and cross-border inter-firm linkages as well as finance and stock exchange performance in Ghana. Internationalisation and Enterprise Development is a major contribution to the body of knowledge on enterprise development in Africa in general, and Ghana in particular. It is a must-read to all who are interested in Africa's enterprise development including the role played by internationalisation in that process.

Analyses trends in the offshoring of R&D, examines its drivers and motivations, and identifies implications for innovation policy.

Private Enterprise-Led Development in Sub-Saharan Africa provides a novel theoretical and conceptual model to guide research into Africa's economic development. It endorses the view that private enterprise-led growth will help reduce poverty since it strengthens individuals' capacity to care for themselves and their families.

This book studies the organization and effects of linkages between transnational corporations - mainly Danish - and local firms in developing countries. It is based on a number of case studies of linkage collaborations and a survey of about ninety Danish firms and their relations to partners in developing countries. The analyzed host countries are Ghana, India, Malaysia, South Africa, and Vietnam. The book is a contribution to the emerging literature on firm strategy in developing countries, offering new empirical evidence of the multi-faceted and complex nature of cross-border inter-firm linkages. It documents how even small firms in both developed and developing countries engage in - and can benefit from - cross-border linkages.

The Creative Industries and International Business Development in Africa takes an unorthodox approach to showcasing the trends and challenges of the contemporary creative economy with a view to positioning the sector for a global audience.