Report on Business Functions and Innovation: Africa's Talking Analysis

This report provides an in-depth analysis of business functions and innovation, using Africa's Talking as a case study. It explores various business function theories, including administration and scientific management, and innovation models like diffusion theory. The report assesses how Africa's Talking leverages these concepts to develop mobile communication APIs and support entrepreneurial ecosystems. Recommendations are provided to improve organizational performance, emphasizing the importance of identifying non-performing areas and conducting thorough market analysis. The reflection section discusses the skills gained and areas for improvement, highlighting the importance of time management and effective communication. The study concludes that a strong understanding of business functions and innovative practices is crucial for success in a competitive business environment.

BUSINESS AND
ENTERPRISE

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Analyzing the business by using two concepts and Linking theory to practice..........................3
Recommendations........................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................6
REFLECTION.................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Business is related with offering goods and services to particular kind of people in order to
derive higher profitability through managing and controlling available resources. In the current
era, competition has increased to the Peak level which requires firm to give focus on having
significant growth and development. The present report is based on Africa’s Talking that deal in
developing mobile communication API for supporting viable entrepreneurial ecosystem. There
are several functions which are taken into process for building an effective approach for building
better innovation for accomplishing requirements of clients in effective manner. Present study
will highlight the two crucial concepts such as business function and innovation & creativity in
the context of specified organization. It has become crucial for the enterprise to build better
approach for gaining higher productivity, effectiveness, accuracy etc. It will give emphasis on
presenting theories for the mentioned concepts in turn depth insights can be derived. current
study will focus on obtaining information by analyzing in deeper manner along with providing
relevant recommendations. Study will involve comprise reflection for explaining obtaining
details in order to give better outcome.
MAIN BODY
Analysing the business by using two concepts and Linking theory to practice
Business function
There are different kinds of functions which are conducted for having proper segregation of
roles and responsibilities. It leads to obtain the specialization in business for accomplishing
quality performance in turn higher profitability can be derived (Sanders and Wood, 2019).
Africa’s Talking has several business functions which contribute in deriving significant ability to
achieve the targeted goals for overcoming the prevailing competition. There are several theories
of business functions which provides instructions to conduct business practices in proper manner
(Payne and Petrenko, 2019). It involves administration, scientific, bureaucratic, human
relationship, etc.
Africa’s Talking basically is concerned with helping organization to bring their ideas to life
through easy to use APIs. In order to offer such kinds of product the company pay attention on
building effectual coordination in so that proper output can be derived scientific, administration,
etc. theories can be helpful for the organization to reach appropriate results through managing all
the actions. Administration theory of business function indicates top to down approach for

examining business which divides six responsibilities such as organize, command, control,
coordinate, plan and forecast. it focuses on stating the principle of maintaining clean facility to
value of initiative and teamwork for obtaining successful business (). The chosen business can as
well focus on having application of scientific management which involves promoting
standardization, specialization, assignments the based on the ability and extensive training and
development should be there. It specifies that having proper information in each segment like
administration, finance, human resource, marketing, etc. It aids in enhancing efficiency, training
and corporation which lead firm towards significant growth and development. On the basis of
this, it can be identified that scientific management is related with having appropriate efficiency
in internal process of Africa’s Talking company for encouraging higher growth & development.
In the organization there are various functions which are required be attained by company
for having depth insights in turn better productive resources optimization can become possible.
There is requirement to focus on having better compliance within overall functional areas like
marketing, selling, quality management, etc. Africa’s Talking is related with offering such
product to the business clients who can get ease in meeting overall needs of customers through
ensuring higher potential efforts sharing for gaining competitive edge for the purpose of having
relevant, reliable and effective outcome to achieve goals (Sagnak and et.al., 2017). Modern
management theory is related with providing insights to handle the prevailing issues in the
current business environment (Baldassarre and et.al., 2020). It helps in solving the business
challenges through understanding needs of modern market. On the basis of this it can be
specified that having appropriate ability to coordinate all business functions can be helpful in
inclining higher profitability & sustainability. The reason behind applying this specific theory
into the Africa’s Taking is to increase utilization of mathematical techniques to analyze and
recognize the relationship by embracing the idea regarding complexity. On the basis of this it can
be articulated that specified firm focuses on having relevant functioning. It is helpful for the
specified organization to get effective level of management among all the business functions like
research & development operational, financial, etc. which is contributing boosting performance
of company.
Innovation and creativity
It is related with maintaining appropriate level of ability into enterprise to improve and
modify something in order to coordinated with customer requirements. In the time taste and

preference so customers keeps on changing which needs business to give focus on having
innovation strategy for gaining capabilities to coordinate with changing situations. Africa’s
Talking is one of the successful organization which focuses on understanding requirement of
customer so that appropriate communication API can be developed. For the purpose of meeting
needs of its client needs there is requirement of concentrating on having significant research and
development in turn better solution can be offered (Damanpour, 2020). On the basis of this it can
be identified that mentioned firm need to have crucial extent of innovation practice so that
meeting objectives of clients can become possible.
There are few models of innovation which aids in obtaining deeper information
regarding its course of action so that achieving particular purpose in effective manner can be
done. It can be analyzed by innovation funnel, diffusion theory, business canvas model, lean
innovation management, etc (Diffusion Of Innovations Theory, Principles, And Practice, 2021).
Each model has its benefits and drawbacks which are needed to be evaluated by Africa’s Talking
firm in turn having relevant processing can be exerted. Diffusion theory indicates that there are
five established adopter categories which assist in analyzing outcome of particular action
(Karampour and et.al., 2021). It comprises innovators, early adopters, late majority and laggard.
Innovators are those who want to ty the creative object as they are interested in new ideas, early
adopters are those tend to present their idea for the presented details. Early & late majority and
laggards are who adopts new idea before average, skeptical of change and bounded by tradition
& very conservative respectively. On the basis of theory innovation will be successful or not can
be identified.
Diffusion theory is one of the significant theory that contribute in obtaining the
information regarding the different kinds of adopters. While providing any new commodity or
service in the market it is highly essential for the users to pay attention on gaining
competitiveness. In order to be successful the specified enterprise is required to focus on having
appropriate level of competitiveness via identifying the suitable type of users that can adopt its
offerings (Martínez and Poveda, 2021). According to this particular type of theory the mentioned
company can get significant amount of ability to achieve competitiveness so that leading position
in sector can derived (Plucker, 2021). In the current working environment there is cut-throat
competition which can enable firm to get such kind of activities which can help in gaining

objective of operating in sector. The stated theory type is helpful in meeting objectives of
providing the innovative kind of services.
Recommendations
There are several ways which are required to be adopted by organization to improve the
prevailing performance. Innovation is one of the determinant of success which contribute in
achieving greater competitiveness. It is required to focus on gaining information regarding the
suitable action which can lead firm towards success.
 It is suggested to the organization to get the relevant identification of non-performing
areas so that elimination can become possible (Ali and et.al., 2019). Having ability to
eliminate non crucial component can be helpful in proper allocation, analyzing, and
controlling different aspects which can lead to get appropriate coordination &
effectiveness. This can become possible by applying variance analysis, KPIs, bench
marking that can permit enterprise to have quality performance. The main reason behind
implementing this is to receive significant amount of ability to meet customers'
requirement. It can aid in managing business functions so that accomplishing objectives
can become possible.
 This is recommended to the company to have proper market analysis in turn getting
current trend information becomes possible. It can contribute in innovating practices
effectively having relevant research & development team. Obtaining accurate
information regarding the requirements of customer provide assistance in having ability
to offer suitable inattentiveness that can meet their respective objective.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that business operates in highly competitive
environment which requires firm to have appropriate knowledge regarding its function and
innovative practices. The current report has comprised different theories of business functions
such as administration, scientific management, etc. Present report has given emphasis on having
proper application of innovative theory such as diffusion to meet requirement of clients. It
frequently pays attention on offering distinctiveness that can motivate to its offerings,
REFLECTION
According to the Gibbs model there are few steps which allows to provide the
information regarding description, feelings, evaluation, conclusion and action (Gibbs' Reflective

Cycle, 2021). It can be stated that it is essential to gain the information regarding business
functions and innovative kind of services. There are several business function which allows the
organization to have appropriate level of coordination so that optimum utilization of resources
can become possible. I have analyzed that for getting success in the organizational process there
is highly requirement to focus on having appropriate planning, organizing, directing and
controlling of the activities among all the functional areas in turn meeting goals of enterprise can
become possible. In my opinion there are several requirements of business which are
accomplished by segregating among departments so that in higher extent of processing can be
achieved. I have evaluated that there are various kinds of theories like innovation & business
function that contribute in attaining relevant course of action.
From the analysis of this particular course I have come to know that there is requirement
of set of skill & attributes which can be helpful in having appropriate extent of efficiency. In
addition to this, there is presence few skills in me that has aided me to obtain ability to
accomplish the objectives I have good self-confidence and communication attribute which has
permitted me to have better level of capabilities to deliver my thoughts. There are certain roles
and responsibilities in business function which require to have proper clear way of
communicating and clearing goals so that reliable and accurate action can be taken. I have good
leadership tactics in me which needs in making other to follow instructions that can lead to
success. For having better successful career there is major need to possess management skills
which can permit in monitoring & controlling bets course of action. There are few lacking areas
which need to be overcome for getting significant level of position in the market. To grab the
opportunities prevailing in the market it becomes essential to eliminate lacking areas e in turn
meeting the requirements can become possible.
I have analyzed that limitations in me are no proper time management, lack of
politeness, ineffectiveness in managing multiple things due to inability in prioritizing practices. It
can be improved by applying few improvement actions in turn gaining ability to coordinate with
changing circumstances can become possible. Time management skill can be modified by giving
emphasis on identifying crucial activities and giving importance accordingly so that deadlines
can be met. Lack of politeness can be overcome by focusing on understanding perspective of
people so that suitable way of communicating to get the corrective outcome can be derived
(Martínez and Poveda, 2021). There is as well drawback which is need to be overcome by

possessing relevant method in turn having significant competitive edge to ind better opportunity
can become possible. Participating in presentation, speech competition, case based practice, etc
so that having appropriate level of improvement can become possible.
On the basis of provided by the information it can be specified that these can contribute
in improving my performance to get good career opportunity. It can be concluded that business
function are found to be crucial for meeting organizational objectives. Innovative skill to get
higher competitiveness in turn achieve desirable position in market can become possible.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Aghion, P. and et.al., 2018. The impact of exports on innovation: Theory and evidence (p. 678).
Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research.
Ali, M. and et.al., 2019. Consumer acceptance toward takaful in Pakistan: An application of
diffusion of innovation theory. International Journal of Emerging Markets.
Baldassarre, B. and et.al., 2020. Implementing sustainable design theory in business practice: A
call to action. Journal of Cleaner Production, p.123113.
Damanpour, F., 2020. Organizational Innovation: Theory, Research, and Direction. Edward
Elgar Publishing.
Karampour, B and et.al., 2021. FormulatingMartínez, C. I. P. and Poveda, A.C ., 2021 a strategic
plan for BIM diffusion within the AEC Italian industry: the application of diffusion of
innovation theory.
Martínez, C. I. P. and Poveda, A.C ., 2021. Science, technology, innovation, theory and
evidence: the new institutionality in Colombia. Quality & Quantity. 55(3). pp.845-876.
Payne, G.T. and Petrenko, O.V., 2019. Agency theory in business and management research.
In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Business and Management.
Plucker, J. A., 2021. Creativity and innovation: Theory, research, and practice. Routledge.
Sagnak, M and et.al., 2017. Quality function deployment application for improving quality of
education in business schools. Journal of Education for Business, 92(5), pp.230-237.
Sanders, N.R. and Wood, J.D., 2019. Foundations of sustainable business: Theory, function, and
strategy. John Wiley & Sons.
Online
Diffusion Of Innovations Theory, Principles, And Practice. 2021. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2017.1104 >.
Gibbs' Reflective Cycle. 2021. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.ed.ac.uk/reflection/reflectors-toolkit/reflecting-on-experience/gibbs-
reflective-cycle>