Publication database

The idea of Inclusive Business is taking Africa by storm. The timely publication of a new concise book 'Inclusive business in Africa': A business model aims to take readers on a journey into the subject of Inclusive Business in Africa and shows how companies can be agents of change, contributing to inclusive development and growth. The publication brings together research supported by the Partnerships Resource Centre (PrC), a specialist research centre at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) and RSM’s Professor Rob van Tulder. 

This publication outlines how the SDGs offer a compelling growth strategy for African business, pointing to an economic prize of at least US$1.1 trillion by 2030 for the African private sector and the potential to create 85 million new jobs. The report highlights opportunities in four sectors: food and agriculture, energy, health and cities.

This note explores how and why market systems programmes and companies need to identify common goals in order to be able to engage with each other.

This report provides insights on the impact enterprise landscape in East Africa. The report identifies three different categories of impact enterprises: Access enterprises provide critical products and services among the low income and underserved population. Ability enterprises increase their capacity to earn higher incomes through skilling or by engaging with them as partners. Lastly, Knowledge enterprises build awareness and markets, and encourage behaviour change.

This case study looks at the Grameen Foundation which replicated its “Mobile Midwife” service from Ghana to Nigeria in order to address the high maternal and child mortality rates there. It reviews how “Mobile Midwife” delivers medically sound, stage-based health information to pregnant women and nursing mothers by voice in local languages, providing recommendations for mobile operators.

This collection of case studies was launched together with a framework for systematic South-South transfer of inclusive business models. The case studies summarise the business models, challenges and lessons learned in transferring the business models from India to African countries.

This report analyses the demand for inclusive business in agriculture, healthcare and renewable energy and discusses the challenges and opportunities for transfer of inclusive business models from India to sub-Saharan Africa. The report draws on insights from 11 inclusive businesses and 44 industry practitioners. The preparation of this report and toolkit was led by Ishira Mehta and Pallavi Shrivastava from IFC

This report provides a series of market assessment country fact sheets on Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa, which includes: macroeconomic health-related data; a brief overview of the private sector and its role in providing healthcare access; and spotlights on private enterprises contributing to healthcare access in each country. It highlights various investment opportunities and aims to attract foreign and domestic investment into the sector.

This paper examines the concept of social enterprise, and focuses its research on social enterprises defined by a hybrid business model rather than their financial or social performance or social impact. Focusing on Vietnam and Kenya - it assesses the potential role for social enterprises of this type in the agriculture and health fields and it identifies specific markets, activities or circumstances where the hybrid model may have validity.

This article describes constraints for businesses tackling malnutrition and discusses how businesses struggle to achieve commercial sustainability when selling nutrient-rich products to the people who need them most. It views the case of businesses in Nigeria and outlines the advantages of non-profit distribution - where public institutions such as governments or donor agencies fund the purchasing of food from businesses and support distribution networks that deliver these products.