BEE Partner, South Africa Economy Watch

If South Africa wishes to become a highly successful emerging nation, one that can seriously challenge for position in the world economic rankings and have its business corporations develop _agreater sense of competitiveness, a change in strategic outlook at both government and corporate level is required. This aims to outline the kind of approach an emerging nation like South Africa needs in order to enhance its competitive prowess at both national and corporate level.

Before a home-grown business organisation in an emerging economy can achieve a higher level of competitiveness, the condition_sin that country have to be conducive to competitive thinking.’ In other words, it is the government’s responsibility to create a culture of competitiveness and strategic superiority in its domestic societ_y, which will assist businesses to extrapolate that culture into the markets in which they do business, both at home and in the global arena. The people of the country need to be made aware of the task at hand, and encouraged to think in a globally competitive manner. In much the same way as the South African public displays a high degree of passion and patriotism for the likes of the Springbok rugby team, Bafana Bafana and our country’s other sporting heroes, so they need to be encouraged to adopt a similar stance towards the country’s efforts at improving its global economic and social positions. South Africans from all walks of life must be made aware that the country and its people are embroiled in what is tantamount to a war for global economic positioning. The South African public has been excluded from such reasoning. The government seems to believe that it alone should take this country to great heights. A good analogy to use in this regard comes from the world of sport.

Imagine what would happen to the Springbok rugby team or Bafana Bafana if nobody turned up to watch them play. All the training, preparation, competitive analysis and strategising would have been for nothing if there were no supporters, who are passionate about their team and country, to cheer them on. The impact of all the resources utilised in taking on the opposition wouldbe nullified. The supporters are key stakeholders, as are the players, the administrators of the game, and all the coaching and back-up _staff. All are interconnected. If a team does not receive world-class coaching, it will not perform well. If the team does not perform well for some length of time, its supporters may not turn up to watch it. The more they perform badly, the more the players become despondent and demotivated. If players are demotivated, a vicious cycle of underachievement and poor performance starts developing — not to mention the financial implications, as supporters vote with their feet.

So it is also with a nation. The general public are the supporters who have to be mobilised to help the country prosper in the international arena. During the Second World War, when Britain was facing its darkest hour in 1940, Winston Churchill not only raised the spirits of the British people through some of the finest and most emotive speeches ever made by a leader, he mobilised a mental attitude amongst the ordinary citizens, as well as the armed forces, which manifested itself in the theatre of war, and saved the nation from defeat. In other words, he motivated the British people to move mountains.

South Africans have never had such an experience. The people of this country have been kept on the sidelines instead of being made an integral part of this country’s global efforts. The government has not yet involved them in the fight for global position. South Africans only really give a thought to how competitive the country is in the global arena when the media reports on the World Economic Forum’s annual Global Competitiveness Report, and, in particular, where South Africa is placed on the league table. The government should mobilise a mental attitude that encompasses determination, innovative thinking and, above all, a willingness to see the country succeed amongst all South Africans, who by their very character are extremely patriotic people. They love their country.

Even those who have left for other shores never give up feeling and being South African. Witness the many South African expatriate associations that exist throughout the world as proof of this. The people of this country would love to become more involved in nation building, but have they ever been asked? They might have been asked to buy South African products, but never to buy into South Africa.

However, this type of thinking becomes redundant if the government does not create a climate in South African society that is both conducive and receptive to the implementation of a national strategy aimed at improving the country’s social and economic welfare. For the government to accomplish this, it needs to adhere to a number of fundamental principles.

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