Shane Heywood

Musings on market-oriented approaches to International Development

Category Archives: Africa

Apparently, What’s App can help to sell soap in Indonesia…

While technology can help firms engage and employ people from low-income households in the developing world – of course, there are watch-outs.  Around summer of 2015 in an African country, … Continue reading

February 19, 2017 · Leave a comment

Beer and Farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa: What’s next?

“We want subsistence farmers more involved in the value chain,” says Andy Wales, head of Sustainable Development at SABMiller Beer and Farmers While interacting with 20+ smallholder farmers in Kenya, … Continue reading

February 14, 2017 · 1 Comment

Non-uniform: Consumer Choices and the BOP

Despite similar low levels of income, low-income households have different product preferences and different shopping styles. Do development practitioners need a reminder of this? Different folks, different strokes While working … Continue reading

October 7, 2016 · Leave a comment

The “1099” / “Sharing” economy and Social Impact: When ‘good’ jobs go ‘bad’?

“For many people in emerging markets, a reliable job is the most effective means of escaping poverty.  Steady jobs change lives” [EY Growth Services] Sharing is not always caring Deliveroo, … Continue reading

September 16, 2016 · Leave a comment

Dollar Shaving Club and Social Enterprises: Can one learn from the other?

A changing dynamic in Consumer-facing businesses has meaningful implications for Social Enterprises   Changing times My earliest shaving experience was around the age of 13. After 10 minutes, reeling from … Continue reading

September 7, 2016 · Leave a comment

Expanding the realm of re-imagination: looking beyond South Africa to…Ethiopia

Possibly running the risk of over-use, ‘re-imagining’ has captured the keystrokes and the voices of corporate, public and social organizations. From how I understand it, the phrase seeks to capture … Continue reading

June 7, 2015 · Leave a comment

More than ‘Cool Runnings’: Social Enterprises in the Caribbean (and Africa)

To some, the Caribbean brings to mind beaches or even a movie of questionable appeal about an unexpected group of men in a bobsled. It may be less common, though, to … Continue reading

February 24, 2014 · 1 Comment

SMS, Sugar and Apps: Portents of Africa’s potential

‘Hopeless continent or Basket Case’ Only a bit more than a decade ago, it was quite common to find an unending and consistent view of Sub-Saharan Africa as a ‘hopeless … Continue reading

November 26, 2013 · Leave a comment

Let there be light: rural electrification in Asia and Africa

In some parts of the world, the sun is the most reliable source of light for many households. At night, entire families learn how to clean and eat with light … Continue reading

July 31, 2013 · 2 Comments

If you want to be notified of whenever I publish a post, sign-up below.

Join 1,339 other subscribers