The end of neoliberalism and the beginning of talking business

Abstract

The neoliberal approach dominating the globalization process is criticized in this contribution as not working for the promotion of entrepreneurship in the Kenyan situation. It is a shortcut of the Western social and economic heritage in the first place. It has a limited understanding of human beings as only consisting of needs which should be fulfilled by calculative consumers and producers on an open market with an equal level playing field for quite unequal (global) forces. It is detrimental when introduced in Africa, not only because of the lack of competitive capacity, but also because it collides with the traditional value system of communitarianism and respect etc. A case on entrepreneurship is analyzed in which these detrimental effects come to the fore. Another case is analyzed, which shows a more positive example, creating a bridge and installing a learning process between traditional African values of respect and communitarianism and modern civil society-like values such as equal access, egalitarianism, effective time management and more. The gist of this contribution is a plea for "talking business". A dialogue between the African heritage and modern managerial values should find the way forward for entrepreneurship in Africa. Traditional and modern values need to "talk" to each other. But we should talk business: the African entrepreneurial solution should be effective, competitive on the global market and it should express the African contribution towards a lasting unification of different traditions living together in one planetary and economic house.