In September 2021, Talitha Govansamy, advisor to Ebrahim Patel, Minister of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), considered how competition, or the lack thereof, affected pricing and therefore attainability of products and services in the long term, especially for the poor.

It was January 2023, and a pivotal time for Thokozile Mangwiro, founder and chief executive officer CEO of Nilotiqa, a South African brand of products that addressed the problems associated with natural hair (African hair that had not been altered using chemical relaxers, texturisers or straighteners). Having established her brand in the market, she was now determined to grow Nilotiqa into a household name. She was considering expanding the range of products on offer, diversifying into different personal care categories and launching the brand in the rest of Africa.

TEACHING NOTE

On 7 May 2019, Steinhoff International, a global retail group based in Stellenbosch, South Africa, published its delayed Annual Report for 2017. The report detailed the results of the company’s investigation into a tangle of accounting irregularities and governance failures that had led to the delay and resulted in the resignation of the previous chief executive officer (CEO) Markus Jooste on 6 December 2017, an 80% plunge in the company’s share price over the following two days and the need to restructure debt of more than €10.4 billion (R166 billion).

I made lifelong connections and my MBA really enhanced my brand as a professional.

My WBS qualifications gave me the self-confidence to tackle tough work and life situations with a clear and open mindset.

I was very happy with the way the MMFI programme was structured. The programme was very challenging, and it demanded a lot of focus and dedication. It has provided a powerful foundation for my career aspirations.

I have developed a sharper business acumen, enhanced my leadership skills and honed my abilities in management.

My MBA from WBS deepened my understanding of business and made me aware of the many possibilities available for me to make a difference in any environment.

In May 2008, alerted by a primary dairy supplier that one of its raw material suppliers may be including gelatine in its products, Julian Novak, divisional director of food at Woolworths SA tasked his team to investigate the issue. The allegations proved to be true. There was gelatine in Woolworths’ entire yoghurt range. In 2003, the company had agreed to ensure that its yoghurts were free of gelatine (a product derived from meat sources), and had therefore advertised them as such. One of the foundations of the Woolworths brand was its reputation for being trustworthy.