Cafe Hayek points us to the Enterprise Africa project.
The Enterprise Africa! team will analyze four great stories of entrepreneurship:
* The rise and development of the Kombi taxi industry among black South Africans and the effects of outlawing a public service that people depend upon,
* The maturation of the spaza-shop sector, including its relation to the advertising industry and its response to the competitive forces of large grocery retailing,
* The development and use of Combi seed packs by subsistence farmers in northeastern South Africa, and
* The effects of property titling and a government-subsidization program on investments in housing in Langa Township in Cape Town.
Meeting with the individuals involved in these endeavors, and gaining a first-person perspective of the environments in which they live and work, will provide the team with a unique understanding of the institutional arrangements that promote, or hinder, entrepreneurial activities in South Africa and how local solutions are addressing poverty in their communities.
As you can see, there is a hint that Enterprise Africa have already made up their minds about the results of this analysis... but perhaps that is unfair. In any case, I am a big fan of the case study approach as a useful complement to the big picture stuff.
Join the Conversation