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Connecting Connecting to a digital future
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The fourth industrial revolution is coming, and it’s all about ICT. But is adoption of new technologies, like the solutions offered by Sage, happening quickly enough across Africa?
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t’s no secret that modern technology opens up new horizons for economies of all sizes. By some estimations, introduction and investment in information and communication technology (ICT) has been responsible for a quarter of GDP growth in most developing countries since 2000. But progress on Africa’s digital transformation journey is inconsistent. South Africa begun this millenium as one of the 10 most connected nations in the world, but has since plummeted to 72, while its rank in Africa has slipped from first to third. The notable difference between South Africa and current continental leader Kenya is their approach and commitment to technology, as the latter has invested in technology, implemented attractive regulatory frameworks and improved its connectivity, growing its GDP by 25% as a direct result.
Sage, the world’s leading provider of HRMS for the midmarket, has a long-established reputation for delivering industryleading cloud accounting, payroll and financial business solutions to businesses across Africa, driving economic growth through technology.
Evening out the field
The growth of African businesses can be stunted for any number of reasons - from ineffective policy to lack of access to platforms and support - leaving them disadvantaged compared to their international counterparts. However, if they are able to benefit from internet connectivity, ICT can open up the same possibilities for businesses in Africa as it does for those in any other country in the world. In 2017, Sage rolled out some of its most widely used solutions across the African continent, driving growth for both the company and the economies benefiting from its products. Sage Live, also known
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as Sage Business Cloud Financials, was launched in South Africa last August, while Sage One Payroll became available in Kenya and Nigeria, resulting in double digit growth for the Sage Group across all of these solutions. As a result, more African businesses in key emerging economies are benefiting from the same world-leading technologies, such as cloud accounting, automation and artificial intelligence, as companies operating in more developed markets.
Tapping into a growing market
Improved connectivity and access to technology has opened new possibilities for Africa’s large number of small to medium enterprises (SMEs)
and mid-market companies to expand beyond their current operations. Stephen Howe, joint managing director for South African Times 3 Technologies and top-performing Sage business partner for the first half of 2018, recently told a summit in Spain that increased digitisation stands to make African businesses more competitive and more agile. “To remain competitive, retailers need complete real-time visibility
“ICT has been responsible for a quarter of GDP growth in most developing countries since 2000
...was registered in 1988. Over the last 30 years, JERA has focused and excelled in implementing and supporting ERP systems. They have been successful in retaining most of their customers over the last 30 years by growing the company in tune with their customers’ growth. With professional services and dedicated support, they have retained the leading edge over their competitors. With more than 16 certified expert consultants, they are considered as the leaders in their field. This leading edge is supported by a tried and tested implementation methodology which is followed up by a Service Level Agreement which provides their customers peace of mind while controlling their costs during the implementation lifecycle and beyond. We are proud to provide service and systems of the highest quality. Through continuous improvement of skills and methodologies, we can provide costeffective solutions, measurable Return on Investment for our customers and skills transfers to our customers and their staffs.
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of their business processes and data-driven insight into every aspect of the business, from store or product line profitability to workforce productivity and logistic partner performance,” he added. With an all-in-one cloud-based solution like Sage Enterprise Management, Howe believes that companies can streamline their business operations and better position themselves for growth. African businesses will be able leverage technology as a means of driving efficiencies, which may help them get their foot in the door ahead of global competitors.
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Providing industry Services and systems of the highest quality JERA provides the following products and services to our clients:
The future belongs to those who see possibili�es, before they exist.
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Sage Enterprise Management Sage Enterprise Management & HR Business Information Systems Documentation Archiving and Electronic Authorization Electronic Point of Sale Lean Six Sigma process analysis Business Process Improvement Consulting Customer Relationship Management systems APICS Courses and Qualifications Warehouse Logistics outsourcing Service Level Agreements
Areas where we currently support and are ac�ve in: • • • • • •
Namibia Lesotho Swaziland Congo (DRC) Rwanda Tanzania
• • • • •
Mozambique Nigeria Sudan Uganda Kenya
Africa is being supported from our head office located in Johannesburg, South Africa. We have local offices established in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Lagos Nigeria. Tanzanian clients are supported from our Dar es Salaam office and our Nigerian clients are supported from Lagos.
235 Rondebult Road Boksburg, Farrarpark South Africa Tel: +27 (0)11 913 3320 Mobile: +27 (0)76 196 1387
Website : www.jera.co.za Linkedin : Jera Consul�ng Facebook : Jera Consul�ng Point of Contact : Ryan De Kock
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“It was great to see the Finance Minister talk extensively about the hopes and concerns of entrepreneurs and small businesses in his budget speech,” said Bensch. “We welcome his acknowledgement that low market access and high barriers to entry are constraining the growth of the country’s small businesses.”
“Increased digitisation stands to make African businesses more competitive and more agile A tool for equality
With the boom in ICT adoption being called the “fourth industrial revolution”, greater access to platforms that drive economic growth has the potential to repair some social inequalities. This is particularly crucial for South Africa, which has been named the most unequal country in the world by the World Bank. The mobile nature of cloudbased technology, in particular, has the potential to give disadvantaged groups an equal opportunity to be a part of the fourth industrial revolution if they are given access to the right solutions. During her keynote address at the first Etion Digital Transformation Congress in July, Pinky Kekana, South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Communications, emphasised the importance of allowing young black Africans to participate in the country’s digital future.
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“It is a travesty of social justice that young black Africans interact with ICT tools for the first time at tertiary institutions,” she said. “We need to make sure that this digital explosion we are experiencing does not make the rich richer and the poor poorer.” Despite not living up to its full potential in recent years and falling behind other African nations, recent changes in government paint a pretty picture for South Africa’s digital future. During his budget speech in February of this year, Mulasi Gigaba, Finance Minister, spoke at length about the role of technology in the country’s future growth and the need for young people to access it, announcing 39,000 bursaries for prospective teachers in science and technology. This was news that Pieter Besch, executive vice president for Africa & Middle East at Sage, welcomed wholeheartedly.
While countries like Kenya have long since embraced the full potential of ICT and reaped signifi cant economic rewards as a result, it appears that South Africa is fi nally catching on to its transformative ability. Adoption of ICT across the African continent would create a positive and highly competitive economic environment for businesses of all sizes, while providing notable social benefi ts as well.
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