This insightful book provides an astute analysis of how resilient multiple regional economies across Europe were to the global economic crisis of 2008-9. Assessing the impact and geography of the crisis, this book offers a cross-comparative study of how regional economies were affected, as well as an exploration of the role of local and regional policy in influencing economic resilience. The different experiences seen across Europe throughout the economic crisis raise a number of important questions: why were some regions more resilient to the crisis than others? What is meant when discussing a resilient economy? How might local and regional policy-makers help support the resilience of their economies? The expert contributors take these crucial questions into account, presenting detailed case studies using quantitative and qualitative research data to analyse how the crisis affected various European regions. Economic Crisis and the Resilience of Regions will be an essential read for academics, researchers, and policymakers interested in the concept of regional economic resilience, its measurement, and the factors influencing it, as well as for analysts interested in the geographical impact of the 2008-9 global economic crisis. Contributors include: G. Bristow, A. Healy, C. Kakderi, L. Kirchner, F. Koch, G. Masik, I. Sagan, M. Sensier, V. Sepp, D. Speda, U. Varblane, U. Varblane, R. Wink

The past three decades have seen a remarkable rise of Afrikaners in business. In light of the government’s comprehensive black economic empowerment programme this has been one of the unexpected features of the South African economy.

Today many of these Afrikaner tycoons are competing internationally. With Koos Bekker at its helm, media group Naspers began dominating the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and was turned into a global consumer internet group. Johann Rupert strongly extended Richemont’s share internationally in the upper-end market of luxury goods, while Christo Wiese and Whitey Basson at Pepkor and Shoprite became Africa’s largest clothing and food retailers.

Fortunes describes how these and other business leaders, such as Jannie Mouton, Michiel le Roux, Douw Steyn, Roelof Botha, Hendrik du Toit and a number of commercial farmers, built their empires. It looks at their life and business philosophies and what makes them such successful entrepreneurs.

Recent years have also seen the sensational collapse of Steinhoff International, the furniture retailer led by Markus Jooste that destroyed some of these fortunes. While Jooste is the topic of one of the chapters, another looks at the philanthropic projects most of these tycoons are involved in.

Cross border business transactions have become increasingly important due to new norms of doing business. Cross border business has led to the emergence of multiply business opportunities and challenges to various stakeholders. Such global reality cannot simply be ignored, thus business entities that operate across national borders need to fully employ global strategies in order to compete and survive in the dynamic global environment. In fact, businesses need to have a wider world view when conducting business across border. The future growth of global businesses depends on many crucial aspects such as the managing and recruiting global workforces, developing effective international marketing strategies, coordinating global supply chains and operations, introducing innovative sales tactics, utilizing information technology, and many others. This book captures the multi-faceted outlook on international business phenomena particularly when cross border businesses were severely affected due to the recent limitations on business operations, dwindling demands, and bankruptcy caused by the worldwide pandemic. This book brings the perspectives of the communities, consumers, employees, businesses, producers and many other stakeholders regardless of their home country. The investigation will include insights from both developed and developing countries. From here on, there are new economic, socio-cultural, health-related, well-being and many more challenges which have emerged when operating under the new norms. This book provides comprehensive broad coverage with depth within the areas mentioned.