In Africa slowly but steadily a transformation is taking place in the management styles of enterprises. There is a trend towards more precise time management, more precision in dealing with increasingly sophisticated technology, more feedback from the bottom to the top in order to manage the processes properly, more professionalism and independence of the individual worker. This contribution makes two points: first, neither cultures nor the so-called mental states of individuals are ever static, but always on the move. Second, the force of passion and inspiration by which particular cultural values are endorsed in a particular context makes all the difference in their impact. The importance of these two propositions comes to the fore, if the concept of an “economic culture” is taken into consideration. The claim of the authors is that the ongoing cultural transformation can be better understood in the dynamic approach of cultural values as proposed here.@en

The neoliberal approach dominating the globalization process is criticized in this contribution as not working for the promotion of entrepreneurship in the Kenyan situation. It is a shortcut of the Western social and economic heritage in the first place. It has a limited understanding of human beings as only consisting of needs which should be fulfilled by calculative consumers and producers on an open market with an equal level playing field for quite unequal (global) forces. It is detrimental when introduced in Africa, not only because of the lack of competitive capacity, but also because it collides with the traditional value system of communitarianism and respect etc. A case on entrepreneurship is analyzed in which these detrimental effects come to the fore. Another case is analyzed, which shows a more positive example, creating a bridge and installing a learning process between traditional African values of respect and communitarianism and modern civil society-like values such as equal access, egalitarianism, effective time management and more. The gist of this contribution is a plea for "talking business". A dialogue between the African heritage and modern managerial values should find the way forward for entrepreneurship in Africa. Traditional and modern values need to "talk" to each other. But we should talk business: the African entrepreneurial solution should be effective, competitive on the global market and it should express the African contribution towards a lasting unification of different traditions living together in one planetary and economic house.@en

Instead of presenting a business approach or a community (NGO) approach towards development as an either-or alternative, these two in actual fact constitute a continuum. This is particularly the case if the bottom of the pyramid is targeted, like smallholder farmers. Social enterprises often cannot avoid building the social and institutional conditions for proper functioning as a business. That may take investment costs (including social investment costs, time and energy) that cannot be integrated into a revenue model. This analysis is corroborated by examples and cases from a minor and internship program from the Delft University of Technology on international entrepreneurship and development. The paper adopts a civil society approach whereby a well-functioning civil society is understood as a condition for doing business. This entails free association, shifting memberships of individuals and organizations, lack of confinement to specific ethnic groups or strict state authority, and disentanglement from patrimonial systems. Then there are requirements for a universalist state (rule of law, law enforcement, transparency) and capable citizens. Where such an institutional framework is lacking either NGOs or social enterprises have to fill the gap. And since the costs of these activities cannot be covered by the revenue model, a bottom of the pyramid approach can be designed more effectively by including civil society partners and by understanding the roles of the different stakeholders. Thus cooperation between social enterprises and NGOs will be more effective if they have a better understanding of their mutual contribution and role in development.@en