Business Indicators
The business quadrant takes into account the commercial success of a country and the ability to access and develop these markets. As one of the four cornerstones of a successful country, the operations of businesses encourage resource utilisation and production and is considered integral in the quest to become a developed nation, regularly interacting on an international level.
The business analysis has been segmented into the following 5 sub-categories:
| Indicator | Description |
|---|---|
| IOA – Consumption Rank | An indication of the capacity for consumption, by the country’s populace, of finished goods, including food, beverages, technological devices, fuel and other relatively short-lived items. |
| IOA – Technology Rank | A country’s ability to utilise current technology in their operations and the subsequent capacity to research and expand upon such knowledge, producing new technologies for international use. |
| IOA – Production Rank | An indication of the nation’s capacity for manufacturing and resource generation, often typified by the rate of industrialisation and the development of commercial ventures to produce consumables. |
| IOA – Market Freedom | Market Freedom The extent to which the market and businesses are allowed to operate without overt intervention by government and regulatory bodies. It also indicates the freedom of access to the market for those wishing to initiate operations. |
| IOA – Labour Rank | The extent to which the labour force of a country is active and capable, including their skills levels, volumes and ability to adapt to new conditions and requirements. |
Economic Indicators
Hand-in-hand with business is the greater scaled issue of economy. With a greater international focus, this quadrant considers the overall regulatory and financial health of a nation, as well as its propensity to participate in global trade and expansion. This view, being specifically macroeconomic, considers the trajectory of a nation in terms of worldwide success and development.
The economic analysis has been segmented into the following 5 sub-categories:
| Indicator | Description |
|---|---|
| IOA – Employment Rank | The capacity of the economic environment to provide chance for employment, including the ease with which someone can find a job and how efficiently the country can adapt new labour practices |
| IOA – Growth Rank | The extent to which a country exhibits characteristics that encourage financial and infrastructural growth, including non-restrictive policies and initiatives that bolster entrepreneurship and market participation. |
| IOA – Inclusion Rank | A measure of a country’s ability to provide a level playing ground for all those who participate in market activities, including socio- economic barriers to entry. |
| IOA – Trade & Investment | An indicator of how well the country’s business sector interacts with global market participants, including their ability to invest internationally, and to be invested in by foreign interests. |
| IOA – Strength & Diversity Rank | The economic resilience of a nation, enhanced by the diversification of income and operations, and often reinforced by regulations and initiatives aimed at preventing collapse and encouraging core economic structure. |
Politics Indicators
Due to its ubiquity, the politics of any African country defines and shapes the policies and regulations of all activities and therefore has a strong influence on the economic and business quadrants. The decisions made by governing bodies can be measured against the fair representation of the people, and recurring patterns of governance can sway measures of civil strife and effective leadership.
The political analysis has been segmented into the following 5 sub-categories:
| Indicator | Description |
|---|---|
| IOA – Democracy Rank | The ability of a nation to represent the ideals of democracy and institute a system that mirrors the sentiments of the population, which includes their majority-based choice in political ruling party/ leader. |
| IOA – Freedom | An indication of the liberty of a country’s population, including the extent of their rights, the ability to express |
| IOA – Governance | A measure of the ruling body to provide their citizens with an efficient, unbiased and productive environment in which to live. This is a broad category, as most indicators can be linked to the ability of the leaders to govern and make decisions. |
| IOA – Justice | The capacity of a country’s legal system to provide consequences for behaviour that is contrary to a predefined constitution, including the transparency and accountability associated with corporate activities. |
| IOA – Stability | The overarching political state of a nation and whether it can undergo unavoidable and negative change. Military activities, participation on an international scale in conflicts and the level of civil unrest are strong indicators of this. |
Society Indicators
Lastly, a culmination of factors is held in the measure of society. The quality of life for anyone in Africa is influenced by a multitude of external forces, ranging from the quality of education to the availability of good healthcare. These factors are interrogated by indexes and indicators that IOA has included in the ACBR analysis, consolidated within the collection of scores in the Society segment.
The social analysis has been segmented into the following 5 sub-categories:
| Indicator | Description |
|---|---|
| IOA – Education | An evaluation of the level of education provided to citizens and the subsequent uptake by the population, exemplified by enrolment rates, new technological developments and primary research. |
| IOA – Equality | A measure of society’s interactions with each other and the impacts of an instituted discriminatory hierarchy – based on aspects such as gender, class and race – that ultimately limits civilian potential. |
| IOA – Food security | The extent to which a country is able to provide nutrition to its citizens, which is regularly defined by local climatic conditions and the level of development and investment within the agricultural sector. |
| IOA – Health | The physical status of the country’s civilians, including the prevalence of dangerous diseases and ailments, e.g. HIV/AIDS, contrasted with the ease of access to healthcare facilities and medicinal treatments. |
| IOA – Sustainability | The consideration given to the environment and long-term viability of the production and operations, including the tendency to reuse components and encouragement of an end-to-end perspective in manufacturing processes. |