I cannot believe I was just in South Africa for two weeks! At a family cook out last night, people kept asking me to tell them stories and share what I had learned. As there are just so many memories and lessons, I had trouble to even put into words. I was reminded that our group of students will forever share memories that despite our good story telling abilities, others will just never really comprehend. It truly was an experience to remember.
I think the lessons learned will continue to come to me as time passes and I have even more time to reflect. During our first class, Jacobus mentioned that we all have preconceived notions of other countries. When he mentioned this in class, I remember thinking that I did not have any. I have traveled quite a bit and considered myself open to new cultures. While this is true, I underestimated our human ability to subconsciously create perceptions of a country, despite our best intentions.
Below are a few of the many lessons learned and how my perceptions have changed since our visit.
Perception #1- South Africa is mostly white people.
Truth- 80% of the South African population is black with the other 20% consistening of white, colored, mixed, etc. While racism takes form in all shaped and size, South Africa’s culture past of apartheid presents a discrimination that I think you have to truly visit the country to understand. Not only were people denied rights, but they were denied education, housing and the list goes on. The apartheid museum shows how people were reclassified, which was purely based on color of skin. We even heard stories of one family have two classifications.
Perception #2- South Africa is dangerous.
Truth- Yes, crime is high, but “dangerous” is an overstatement. Growing up, I did not learn too much about South Africa, but remember clips of Mandela as President and the end of Apartheid. We heard rumors of uprisings, but never the full story of Hector Peterson and how children were a catalyst for freedom. While the crime rate is high compared to others, we experienced nothing of the sort. People were friendly, helpful and I NEVER felt in danger. I think many Americans have avoided South Africa for both business and vacation based on this notion – boy are they missing out!
Perception #3- to do business in South Africa, you follow the same framework as you would going into any foreign country.
Truth- while the age old truths about culture, localization, and economics may hold true, no other country has to comply with BEE and deal with the HIV/aids pandemic like South Africa. As an International Business undergrad and expat in Europe, I was exposed to doing business outside the US. You quickly learn about the role of culture and how much influence this has on both business and employees. You gain a great understanding for a country’s economics and the significance of relationships in business. However, what you also learn is that EVERY country is unique and the issues, while similar will always pose unique challenges. In South Africa, we learned about BEE and the significant role this mandate plays within doing business in South Africa. It requires major investment in the black workforce, education initiatives, and structuring your business to empower others. Along with the BEE, understanding the HIV/Aids situation is critical. In some areas, over 30% of the population is affected and this can have a significant impact on the workforce. If someone were to attempt to business in South Africa, it would be incredibly important to understand these nuances – none of which I ever would have understood before this trip.
My sincere thanks to everyone for making this such an amazing trip. Hats off to all faculty for a job well done!
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