BEE Partner, South Africa Economy Watch

2. Global reach

Q Is South Africa’s reputation as a nation to buy into — whether the customer is a foreign investor, a tourist, a potential immigrant or from one of the other customer categories — strong and solid throughout the world? In this context, can branding be a powerful tool? Finland, for example, embarked on a successful campaign to enhance its image and position as a country associated with hi-tech innovation. It wanted to assist its companies to become more competitive in the United States, and used branding to improve its image.

3. Marketing responsibility

Q Who is really championing South Africa, the product, in the global arena? Is the president, as the CEO of South Africa Inc., along with the South African government and all the members of parliament, aware that the various target markets are obser_vi_ngtheir actions and behaviour, both at home and internationally Are they aware that their actions could become a contributing factor in the perceptions that potential ‘customers‘ have of our country? Do our political leaders take an objective viewpoint on how their actions and their country are perceived by the rest of the world? Have they thought about how they can influence those perceptions?

4. Internal alignment

Q Does the behaviour of the president, as CEO of South Africa Inc., and his government and all the members of parliament align itself with what South Africa, the nation, is trying to accomplish in the global arena in terms of securing the support of the various target markets the country is trying to attract and secure? Do the citizens of South Africa know and understand what the country is trying to achieve? Do they care? Has the government shared a vision with the people of this country, and are the citizens fully behind it? Do the experiences of each of the target markets match up to what has been promised?

5. Human capital investment

Q Has the government made sufficient investment in the incubation, nurturing and protection of the country’s human capital in order for the country to ensure a favourable experience from the various target ‘customers‘ who ‘consume’ South Africa? It is apparent that, since the overthrow of apartheid, South Africa has produced a lot of world-class talent. What is the government doing to ensure that the flow of this talent is not switched off, and that it is being channelled in the right direction?

6. Emotional influence

Q To what extent do the various customers have emotional involvement in their attachment or potential attachment toSouth Africa? Can this be leveraged to create a competitiveadvantage in the minds of these customers?

7. Innovative energy

Q Is South Africa an innovative society relative to competing nations? To what extent is the South African government creating an environment conducive to innovative thinking at all levels of our society?

There are no quick fixes. South Africa has to walk before it can run. That means that our government needs to focus all its energies on developing the country and its people. That starts with the creation of the ‘right’ kind of society, which will attract and retain the different kinds of customers this country needs in order to prosper. A president who excessively involves himself in the affairs of other nations and, in particular, in the African Union, may be distracted from the goal of creating a strong and powerful home base from which to propel this country into the global arena — when it is ready. Might it not be better for South Africa to adopt a policy of political and military neutrality until it is ready to play a far greater role in world affairs?

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