Play the Game of Life
Ryan Petersen's Blog

I've been selected to be the TA for a new course at Columbia Business School on Entrepreneurship in Africa. It's being taught by Professors Murray Low and Paul Tierney.

Students in the class (myself included) will form small teams to consult for a real African business in one of five Afrcian countries: Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa. During our winter break, we'll be traveling to work with our client firm.

Here's the course description:

Entrepreneurship in Africa (EA) examines how entrepreneurs and those who invest in them design, negotiate and execute ventures that make use of resources and opportunities in the challenging environments of sub-Saharan Africa. The sub-Saharan Africa context will be compared and contrasted with that of India, China, Russia and Brazil.

The course has three specific learning objectives which we frame as questions: First, what does it take to be a successful entrepreneur in Africa? We will place significant emphasis on the challenges of raising financing. Second, what does it take to run a successful venture capital or private equity fund in Africa? We will view these funds themselves as entrepreneurial ventures. Finally, what are the strategic and financial determinants of a successful entrepreneur and how can they be described in the context of a case study? As part of this final objective, students will learn how to engage and provide value to the entrepreneurs being studied.

Through case studies and guest lecturers, students will learn about successful and unsuccessful entrepreneurs and financiers. Up to 30 students will conduct field research with local African companies identified by our African business school partners in Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa. Students travel to Africa for a two week field study during the winter break. Each team will produce a case study for teaching purposes. The case studies and accompanying teaching materials will be available to other business schools in Africa and the west. Students will also write a confidential memo to the entrepreneur providing observations and advice based upon their research.

Labels: Africa, business, Columbia Business School, entrepreneurship