'Seeing is believing': African professors visit ESB Business School

To do business in Africa, you first have to get to know the local people. “‘Seeing is believing’ is the saying there”, says Professor Dr Philipp von Carlowitz, head of the research group “Doing Business in Africa” (DBA) at ESB Business School. For successful cooperation, one has to meet and talk face to face – not only about business. The same applied to the exchange of ideas at the research workshop of the DBA research group with three visiting professors from Ethiopia, Ghana and Rwanda. In a relaxed atmosphere, the academics discussed possibilities for cooperation in research, closer academic networking and the expansion of guest lectures for students.

The DBA research group at ESB Business School focuses on the opportunities and future markets of Africa and promotes the transfer of knowledge to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that want to develop African markets sustainably. In addition to funding from the Federal Ministries of Finance and Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, DBA also receives funding from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). The focus is on research cooperation with universities in Ethiopia, Ghana and Rwanda.

The visiting professors from the participating countries gave informative lectures on the private sector in African markets during their three-day stay in Reutlingen. The students of ESB Business School thus gained an authentic insight into the challenges and response strategies of entrepreneurs in sub-Saharan markets. For example, new technologies could be used to address the lack of infrastructure in the transport sector.  

In workshops on campus, the academics analysed common research interests with the DBA team of ESB Business School. Overlaps were identified in a number of topics such as innovation and entrepreneurship, the competitiveness of African companies as well as the integration of African companies into global value chains. Further talks are to be held with the respective researchers at the universities in Africa to explore opportunities for practical cooperation.

A visit to the Reutlingen Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK Reutlingen) was also included in the programme, underlining the applied character and close collaboration with the business community of DBA research. The visiting professors were thus given the opportunity to discuss the business potential of African markets, such as enormous growth, with the business scout of the IHK Reutlingen, Alexander Sicking. This also included the perspective of German entrepreneurs who receive support from the IHK for starting business operations in Africa.  

On the last day, the professors visited the Karl Mayer Stoll company, a hidden champion in the textile machine industry with a strong field presence in Africa. Lutz Vogel, area sales manager, and Thomas Stiefel, machine programming technician, gave a tour of the impressive factory and then shared ideas with the academics on practical issues of doing business in Africa.

“The visit has created a good starting point for joint research activities”, the guests agree. “Moreover, the insights gained from the exchange of views with the DBA research team and regional entrepreneurs help us as a developing country to prioritise our research topics and make well-founded decisions for our economic policies”, says Professor Dr Asres Abitie Kebede of Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia.

“We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to making the visit of the African professors such a success. This meeting has again demonstrated the distinct internationality of ESB Business School”, says Professor von Carlowitz, summing up the research workshop.  

Fact box:

The research group "Doing Business in Africa" (DBA) of ESB Business School at Reutlingen University investigates business activities of companies in the markets of sub-Saharan Africa. With qualitative expert interviews of local and international companies (SMEs), the DBA research group is working on issues around the topics of market entry (sales partnership, localisation), sales and marketing topics (pricing, product adaptation, distribution), tech and innovation hubs and their impact on innovations and entrepreneurship, export behaviour of African SMEs as well as the causes of and solutions to the shortage of skilled workers. With its applied business perspective, the research group around Professor Philipp von Carlowitz pursues a unique approach to research on African markets in Germany. Its research results bear out the fundamental assumption that economic engagement of the private sector makes a significant contribution to the economic and overall development of sub-Saharan Africa.

For more information, please visit the research group’s homepage.