Business and Culture in Sub-Saharan Africa examines the position of sub-Saharan Africa within the global economy and how it is leapfrogging development in certain areas. This course covers sub-Saharan Africa’s history, civic culture, and public, private, and for-profit sectors providing learners with the unique and complex components of the region’s past, present, and potential on the world economic stage. Through the lens of various stakeholders—those internal and external to business enterprises and those who engage in market-based and non-market-based transactions to influence business—learners acquire a practical literacy which prepares them to engage in business within and among African employers, employees, and business partners. Learners gain an understanding of the specific drivers of economic growth and opportunity that exist across Sub-Saharan Africa with a focus on Nigeria, Ghana, Angola and Ethiopia.

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Course level

Undergraduate

Course duration

max. 8 weeks

Estimated time per week

10-15 hours

Course prerequisites

None

Cost

$ -

Course credits

Relevant jobs

What will I learn?

Describe the business environment within Sub-Saharan Africa including its traditions, systems, and society.

Identify the micro and macro forces shaping international business between Sub-Saharan Africa and other regions, both in supporting and resisting globalization.

Explain how businesses operate in Sub-Saharan Africa from a “stakeholder” perspective of market, non-market, internal, and external perspectives.

Analyze current conditions in Sub-Saharan Africa for their influence on present and future business opportunities and risks for international business activities.

Apply in-depth cultural knowledge to navigate complex business challenges across national borders.

Create a business case for an international business or a venture through partnerships originating in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Intercultural SkillsEmpathyCommunication Skills

How will I learn?

Learning Experience

Your course starts on the first of the month. Each course consists of six modules, each module will take you one week to complete and each course is designed to take you eight weeks to complete. Nexford’s learning design team has purposefully created courses to equip you with competencies mapped to the skills employers are looking for. Each course has 5-7 learning outcomes based on the skills employers need. Everything you learn gives you measurable skills you will use to succeed in today’s world of work.

Nexford courses are not live or recorded lectures. Instead, they’re reading, videos, interactive elements, quizzes and relevant case studies. Programs include assessments, peer-to-peer discussions, and a final project to practice what you’ve learned in a real-world context. Program content is available 24/7 during the course, and you have opportunities for collaboration and networking with learners during and after your program. Our global community of learners work at top companies such as Microsoft, Deloitte, and Google.

You'll have 24/7 access to success advisors to support you. Faculty also provide you world-class support. Book appointments with them, get individual feedback, and attend regular optional webinars. Nexford courses are rigorous and they encourage critical thinking - because we care about what you know how to do not what you know you have regular hands-on assessments reflecting the business world.

Course Outline

Modules	Assignment Due Date
1: Overview of Sub-Saharan peoples and cultural practices - history, geographical, people, languages, traditions, values and norms	Day 10
2: Globalization and business in Sub-Saharan Africa	Day 17
3: Informal and formal business sectors - understanding the divide and relevance to economies of Sub-Saharan Africa	Day 24
4: Economic activities and investment opportunities	Day 31
5: Hofstede cultural framework - business implications	Day 38
6: Business case for Sub-Saharan business	Day 45 (optional)
7: Final project	Day 51

How will I be graded?

Across the duration of the course, you will undertake five Formative Assessments and one Final Project.

The summative assessment is your final project and achieving a passing grade on this assessment is required to pass the course. The minimum passing grade at Nexford University is a C or above. (70% or above).

Grading Scale		Grading Weights
A	90%-100%	Module Assignments	30%
B	80%-89%	Final Project Milestones	30%
C	70-79%	Final Project	40%
F	< 70%	Final Project	40%
W	Withdrawn	Total	100%

What will I get after completing the course?

You'll get real skills you can use at work, straight away.

Once you've taken one course, you can take more. Using stacked credentials, you’re able to take enough courses to make a certificate, and take enough certificates to build a degree.

If you apply for a Nexford certificate or degree, you'll get credit for each course you take.

What support will I receive?

When you have a dedicated team on your side, you'll never be alone studying at Nexford. Hailing from many different countries and with online education expertise, our faculty provides you world-class support. Ask them questions during one-to-one office hours or live chat, email them any time, and get individual feedback on your assessments.

While you’re learning, you’ll also have full access to the Nexford online library, which includes access to millions of full-text articles, industry reports and key sources such as the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times and The Economist.

LinkedIn Learning: unlimited access with Nexford

Support your Nexford goals with access to LinkedIn Learning during your program, at no additional cost. Explore the learning hub of the globe’s biggest professional networking platform to:

Power your career: choose from over 16,000 expert-led courses, from remote working to data science
Show off your skills: earn a certificate when you complete a course
See what’s trending: LinkedIn Learning adds 25 new courses each week
Tailor your learning: choose relevant courses based on your experience, LinkedIn profile and goals
Test what you’ve learned: use LinkedIn Learning assessments

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My weekly reflective journal is my Nexford highlight. Thanks to faculty support, I continually apply principles to my enterprise – and I've been able to scale beyond considerable measure.

Siramene Teeh Ngbor

Current BBA learner

BUS2152

Business and Culture in Sub-Saharan Africa

What will I learn?

Key Skills

How will I learn?

What support will I receive?

LinkedIn Learning: unlimited access with Nexford

Questions? We’re here to help