Evan Carmichael Top Header about About About facebook Twitter YouTube Google+

SMEs - the impact of corruption has deep roots



Free PDF Download
SMEs and entrepreneurs in Africa - By Dr. Rob Smorfitt

Name: Email:


SMEs are perceived to be the saviour of developing countries. However, one of the biggest stumbling blocks to their success is government corruption. Unfortunately corruption is generally only perceived by business to be an added financial cost to the transaction.

However, it is a lot more than that. A simple example will suffice. A student from Mozambique was wanting to do research on the impact of legislation on SME's in Mozambique. On contacting thegovernment printerto purchaseprinted copies of the legislation, the student was informed that unless bribes were paid they could not release the copies of the legislation. The student is now constrained in the research they do as a consequence. The research not completed will in turn be unable to provide guidance to the Mozambique government, and SMEs in turn will perhaps have to wait a whole lot longer for reform. This means that entrepreneurs may not be able to launch their businesses and employ people. The story just keeps growing, all because of corruption. I have personally seen corruption at work in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia, and had confirmation from business associates of personal exposure to corruption in Uganda, Mozambique and Tanzania.

Until such time as we begin to see serious efforts by governments to stamp this out, Africa's problems will never diminish.It does require serious commitment from government. In South Africa there are a number of cases where people blew the whistle on corruption and ended up unemployed at worst, and murdered (so it is claimed) at worst. Either way, whistle blowers should be treated as national heroes, not pariahs.

If the African spirit of Ubuntu is a real and genuine community sense of good neighbourliness, how do we justify corruption, when the loser is the community at large?


Related Articles

  African Reforms are essential to Boost Private-sector Development and Improve Governance
  Leverage Subject Matter Experts
  SMEs - surviving the recession in Africa
  Restricted Access to Finance
  5.2.1 The MIT-SME section: Support for Growth-oriented Women Entrepreneurs in Tanzania, 2005
  What can business and governments do to promote SMEs?
  Facts about SMEs in Africa
  SMEs - SMEs and labour rigidity
  SMEs in Africa: the “Missing Middle”
  SMEs oil prices globalisation and SMEs
  SMEs - are African governments doing it right
  Improving business conditions - Increasing SME Access to Finance: A Four Pronged Approach
  SMEs in Africa - do interventions help SMEs
  Expanding the supply of finance through the non-financial private sector - Increasing SME Access to Finance: A Four Pronged Approach
  SMEs – SMEs struggling in South Africa. Why?
  SMEs - my PhD topic and African context
  SME's - left wing politics in the new South African government
  Android App development can boost SMEs
  SMEs - should despots and dictators be given a free pass
  SEO, why are you hiding?

Home > African-Accounts > Dr. Rob Smorfitt > SMEs the impact of corruption has deep roots >

Free PDF Download
SMEs and entrepreneurs in Africa - By Dr. Rob Smorfitt

Name: Email:

About the Author: Dr. Rob Smorfitt

RSS for Dr. Rob's articles - Visit Dr. Rob's website
Have an MBA and a PhD in entrepreneurship. Three key areas of ongoing research are entrepreneurship and innovation in large business strategy, the impact of legislation on SME development and SME finance. Run my own SME blog at http://sme-smb-smme.blogspot.com as well as an entrepreneurship and innovation for large businesses blog at http://innoveur.blogspot.com. I have been self-employed since 1982. I have started or purchased in excess of 50 businesses since then. Most were sold again and a few were shut down because of a lack of profitability. Many were run by staff or family while I worked full time in my bigger businesses. Author of 6 books. Written articles for various magazines, newspapers and websites. Experienced in research within developing countries.
Click here to visit Dr. Rob's website.
Dashed Line

More from Dr. Rob Smorfitt
SMEs entrepreneurs with no skills
SMEs and entrepreneurs in Africa
SMEs interventions in developing countries
SMEs does protectionism help
SMEs regulation in Africa

Related Forum Posts

Re: Funny: Life is too short to remove USB safely Re: Funny: Life is too short to remove USB safely
Re: Poll: How many search results do you analyze of competitors Re: Poll: How many search results do you analyze of competitors
Re: TOURNAMENT - We're creating a tournament to find the greates Re: TOURNAMENT - We're creating a tournament to find the greates
Re: Poll: How many search results do you analyze of competitors Re: Poll: How many search results do you analyze of competitors
Re: In-House or Outsource? Re: In-House or Outsource?

Share this article. Fund someone's dream.

Share this post and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.
Share for a Cause
Featured Article



Worksheets
By: Evan Carmichael

Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?

8 Powerful Steps to Finding Your Passion

Does your pitch suck?

Create a plan of attach to launch your new business.

8-Cover

Like this page? PLEASE +1 it! Evan Signature
Bottom Footer



Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Name:
Email:
Popular Articles

10 Tips On How To Interview Anyone

Common Sense Stress Management

Hooking the Media

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.