If you have been following my last 2 articles, "Sourcing from Africa, Part 1" and "Sourcing from Africa, Part 2: Potential found. Now what?", you may know that I recently relocated Hamburg, Germany, location of the recent G20 summit. You probably witnessed the riots with awe and terror, and the violent clashes probably left you wondering how, in a society as regulated and 'proper' as Germany, such things could happen. The more pertinent question, maybe, is 'What happened next?'
This leads me back to my favourite topic: Africa. Before the weekend, a South African friend of mine commented how unremarkable the sight of riots and burning cars is in Africa. She has a point; these things seldom rate a mention in the international press. Even more rarely do they evoke the same response from the law enforcement authorities or coverage by international media that the G20 disturbances did.
The claim that coverage is not balanced – that it’s only news if it occurs in one of the world’s major powers – is common, but that’s not my point here. My point concerns how such protests are treated and, related to that, how to approach procurement and logistics in these places.
It is generally recognized and agreed that the news is no longer objective. Instead, the news is presented from the perspective of the media’s owners and backers. This is where the challenge arises. Anyone reading this blog is already among the privileged, with access to the internet and hence numerous news sources. We are able to source news from multiple outlets, including official channels and social media, and can sift through it to build a reasonably accurate picture of the truth, or, at least, work out which questions remain unanswered.
For the developing world, and the underprivileged, this is not possible. They are stuck with two sources of news: that which their government or leaders give them, and gossip. This was conspicuous in South Africa currently, as an openly corrupt leader and his government clung to power, even employing a UK reputational management company to create a campaign of racial hatred to create a smokescreen to hide their deeds. Bell Pottinger has been taken to task and we will see what the outcome is. However, the damage has been done, and a small, focused campaign targeting those with limited access to a range of news sources has inflamed racial tensions in a country that had done so well to address these.
This is an important lesson to remember when sourcing in developing countries. Although many of these countries – and especially the companies you are sourcing from – may appear to be organized and modern, very often, they simply do not have access to the same resources available in developed nations, and a simple piece of guidance may have a massive impact.
When tendering for goods and materials across the globe, be aware of the circumstances prevailing in the companies and countries you are sourcing from. When you are considering sourcing from a less developed country, you may encounter minor discrepancies or older technology in their proposals. Perhaps prod them in the right direction. Encourage them to contact a mutual supplier that can, if they can get close with limited resources, imagine what is achievable with that gem you are able to feed them.
The claim that coverage is not balanced – that it’s only news if it occurs in one of the world’s major powers – is common, but that’s not my point here. My point concerns how such protests are treated and, related to that, how to approach procurement and logistics in these places.
It is generally recognized and agreed that the news is no longer objective. Instead, the news is presented from the perspective of the media’s owners and backers. This is where the challenge arises. Anyone reading this blog is already among the privileged, with access to the internet and hence numerous news sources. We are able to source news from multiple outlets, including official channels and social media, and can sift through it to build a reasonably accurate picture of the truth, or, at least, work out which questions remain unanswered.
For the developing world, and the underprivileged, this is not possible. They are stuck with two sources of news: that which their government or leaders give them, and gossip. This was conspicuous in South Africa currently, as an openly corrupt leader and his government clung to power, even employing a UK reputational management company to create a campaign of racial hatred to create a smokescreen to hide their deeds. Bell Pottinger has been taken to task and we will see what the outcome is. However, the damage has been done, and a small, focused campaign targeting those with limited access to a range of news sources has inflamed racial tensions in a country that had done so well to address these.
This is an important lesson to remember when sourcing in developing countries. Although many of these countries – and especially the companies you are sourcing from – may appear to be organized and modern, very often, they simply do not have access to the same resources available in developed nations, and a simple piece of guidance may have a massive impact.
When tendering for goods and materials across the globe, be aware of the circumstances prevailing in the companies and countries you are sourcing from. When you are considering sourcing from a less developed country, you may encounter minor discrepancies or older technology in their proposals. Perhaps prod them in the right direction. Encourage them to contact a mutual supplier that can, if they can get close with limited resources, imagine what is achievable with that gem you are able to feed them.