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Inclusive business strategies in Africa

How Inclusive Business Strategies Can Contribute to Inclusive Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

Led by Prof. Rob van Tulder, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM), the Netherlands

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About the research group

The research project ‘Inclusive business strategies in Africa’ looked at how Dutch and local businesses in six East African countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Mozambique) can achieve inclusiveness with the involvement of non-market actors, such as governments, NGOs and local stakeholders. Three parallel quantitative surveys were conducted among more than 500 companies to explore five dimensions of inclusive business (motivations for inclusiveness; business model components; societal impact and financial outcomes; internal and external constraints faced by inclusive businesses;and country-specific processes of trust and institution building). In addition, two in-depth case studies were conducted –one on inclusive health (Philips Life Centres) and one on inclusive finance (Safaricom) –to understand how businesses can successfully innovate and implement products that address societal issues and create societal value.

Country focus
  • Ethiopia
  • Kenya
  • Uganda
  • Rwanda
  • Tanzania
  • Mozambique