Small businesses and AI: Accelerating innovation and inclusion

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Highly confident, women entrepreneurs still face systemic barriers

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How data and AI can drive change: 4 ways forward

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Unlocking the power of small businesses to drive climate-smart inclusive growth

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Bhaskar Chakravorti

DEAN OF GLOBAL BUSINESS, FLETCHER SCHOOL AT TUFTS UNIVERSITY

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Among the key findings of the research:<ul><li>South Africa’s strength lies in creating high-skilled digital jobs, such as online freelancing. With 54 percent internet penetration, South Africa could more fully benefit by prioritizing internet access and availability across its economy.</li><li>Kenya has seen the greatest amount of digital change over the past decade of all countries studied, with 80 percent internet penetration. It can more fully realize its potential to leapfrog by nurturing jobs in the digital economy.</li><li>Rwanda’s strengths lie in its governance, digital evolution and use of mobile money accounts. It can benefit from investments in infrastructure, greater internet penetration and online freedoms.</li><li>Nigeria is strong on internet affordability and has a powerful entrepreneurial investment climate, which is fostering numerous innovative startups. Its biggest opportunity to leapfrog lies in improving the reliability of its basic infrastructure. Reducing power outages and other unintentional internet disruptions will be key to enhancing its potential.</li><li>Egypt’s primary strength lies in its ease of creating medium and high-skilled digital jobs. Furthering efforts to drive digital payments will significantly help drive continued digitalization.</li><li>Ethiopia has the potential for greatest digital gain by creating strong digital foundations, accelerating its digital momentum and moving away from a near-total reliance on cash payments.&nbsp;</li></ul><a href="https://sites.tufts.edu/digitalplanet/african-leapfrog-index/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-size: 16px;">Click here to download an executive summary of the research.&nbsp;</a> Note: This research was made possible with the financial support from the Mastercard Impact Fund, which is administered by the Center for Inclusive Growth. The underlying analysis, the methodology, the interpretations, and insights belong solely to the Institute for Business in the Global Context at The Fletcher School at Tufts University and do not in any way represent the views or positions of Mastercard and its affiliates. ﻿

Research collaboration between Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and The Fletcher School at Tufts University highlights opportunities to optimize digital evolution across the continent.

In a rapidly digitizing world, it is imperative that the digital economy works for everyone – this is especially critical for Africa, given its astounding untapped potential. With nearly 200 million people expected to join the continent’s labor force over the next 12 years and increasing rates of mobile penetration, the digital economy has tremendous potential to drive growth and increase jobs.
The Fletcher School’s African Leapfrog Index (ALI) highlights strengths and opportunities in six major African countries to harness the true potential of technology to drive inclusive growth. The ALI uses Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Africa as representative examples to help countries and stakeholders understand the drivers of digital inclusion, recognize the potential for technology-led leapfrogging and identify key priority areas for policymaking. The ALI is organized in four segments: “paving the way” (Kenya and South Africa), “punching above its weight” (Rwanda), “opportunity for growth” (Egypt and Nigeria) and “potential for the greatest digital gain” (Ethiopia).

Middle East & Africa

Getting lions to leapfrog: How technology can promote inclusive growth in Africa