Strategies For Success: A Systematic Review of Approaches Used by South African Companies to Expand into The African Region

Abstract

The African region presents significant opportunities for South African companies seeking to expand their operations. However, navigating the complexities of the African business environment coming up with best fit strategies can be daunting. This systematic review aims to identify the strategies used by South African companies to successfully expand into the African region. A comprehensive search of electronic databases and hand searching of relevant journals and conference proceedings was utilised for the study. The findings of this research suggest that South African companies have employed a range of strategies to facilitate expansion, including ownership, partnerships, and adaptations to local conditions. The findings of the systematic review assist multinational companies pursuing cross border expansion in evaluating and deciding on the appropriate market entry strategy and also on the timing of getting into the foreign markets. It also assists policy makers in formulating business supportive policies and creating favourable operating environment, further the study assist the academia in bridging the theories on internationalization and African business expansion.