DOME holds 8th Practitioner Series for Postgraduate Students

On the 18th of January 2020, the Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship at the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS) organised a seminar as part of the Distinguished Marketing Practitioner Seminar series. Dr. Nnamdi O. Madichie, from Abertay University Dundee, Scotland, was the guest speaker. He took a session on "Creative Industries and Africa's Development."

Speaking on the challenges of creative industries, Dr. Madichie stated that the concept of market orientation received a great deal of attention in the marketing literature, whereas product-centered marketing, on the other hand, was largely ignored. He added that many studies have found a positive link between market orientation and improved performance, but others have also shown that the relationship is tentative at best.

Dr. Madichie mentioned that the creative industry in Africa contains an abundance of entrepreneurial activities including music, dance, festivals and the film industry. The entertainment industry has thus become a vibrant and prosperous one, with annual revenue of close to US$ 1bn.

In concluding, Dr. Madichie added that many entrepreneurs in Africa are looking to the West for inspiration to further build their own industries. The competitive nature of creative industries in the West is a great foundation to boost popularity and longevity. He also commented that this practice was due to the creative sector having a rather precarious shelf-life. However, by tapping into political issues and using their own innovative business models, marketing strategies, and entrepreneurial networks, African creatives have now changed the way performing arts are perceived.

Professor Robert E. Hinson facilitated the event, which forms part of the Department’s  Distinguished Marketing Practitioner Seminar series. This eighth edition of the series was to provide the opportunity to enlighten and broaden minds on the creative industries in Africa and its potential in relation to Marketing Strategies.