Report on Critical Issues in Business Management & Future Growth

This report examines critical issues in business management, focusing on the impact of COVID-19 on Commonwealth countries' global and intra-Commonwealth trade, exploring prospects for recovery and future growth sources. It evaluates the significance of digital trade, its trends, challenges, and opportunities within the Commonwealth, including the effects of COVID-19. Furthermore, the report delves into the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), assessing its transformative potential, current state, and inclusivity, particularly for women, highlighting the importance of addressing gender disparities in business and development. The analysis emphasizes the need for strategic adaptations and policy measures to foster sustainable growth and resilience in the face of global challenges.

Critical issues in
business management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
TASK...............................................................................................................................................3
a. What is the impact of COVID-19 on Commonwealth countries’ global and intra
Commonwealth goods and services exports, and what are the prospects for trade recovery? . .3
b. Identify and evaluate the sources of future growth including from the Commonwealth
advantage.....................................................................................................................................4
Task-2..............................................................................................................................................5
a. Why is digital trade now more important than ever? What are its main trends, challenges
and opportunities in the Commonwealth including the effects of COVID-19?..........................5
b. There has been much comment on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
However, what is its real significance, the current state of play and how transformative and
inclusive can it be, especially for women?..................................................................................6
Task-3..............................................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Business management is related to those management under which the management of
the organisation performs the function of planning, organising and controlling the activities of
the business to achieve the goals and objectives of the business effectively. It is possible in the
organisation to have problems in the business because it is a typical task to manage them. These
problems are arise due to the external environment issues (Akao, Watson and Mazur, 2020). It is
the duty of the managers of the organisation to have evaluate the factors of external environment
effectively so that the problems can be solved on time. This report is based on the impact of
covid-19 on the group of common wealth countries. It provided brief discussion related to the
growth opportunity present with these countries.
TASK
a. What is the impact of COVID-19 on Commonwealth countries’ global and intra
Commonwealth goods and services exports, and what are the prospects for trade recovery?
Commonwealth countries are refers to those group of countries which is headed by the United
Kingdom. This group includes 54 countries and the main aim of this initiatives is to increase the
trade between these nations to increase the development activities in these countries. One of the
blunder which negatively impacts the business of these countries are covid-19 which makes
difficult for the to conduct trade and the negative impact of covid-19 on the intra trade between
these nations are given below:
Negative growth of the economy
One of the most important indicator of the business condition of the country is their
economic growth. The impact of the covid is very bad on the economy because it enables the
economy to negatively growth (Charter, 2017). The main reason for the negative growth of these
economies are the shut down the business activities. At the time of pandemic, the government of
the respected countries declares the lock down under which the not the single business activities
instead of essentials are allowed to operate their business from their offices. Most of the
businesses are not able to done their business from their home so they shut down their operations
for the terms which negatively impacts the economy and enables them to move backward.

Increase in export and import duties
It is related to those duties which is incurred by the government of countries on the
import and export of the goods and services to another country. It is one of the most important
source of government income and plays an major role in the development of the nation. At the
time of covid pandemic, all the activities related to the import and export of the goods and
services are restricted by the government so the government revenue are negatively impacted and
also the development activities are suffered (Choi, Wallace and Wang, 2018). To overcome this
condition, the duties are increased by the government to break even the losses which retards the
pace of import and export in these countries.
Increase inflation
It is related to the increase in the price of goods and services which negatively impacts the
budget of the citizens in negative manner. The reason for the increase in inflation is restriction of
import and export duties which increases the price of raw materials and in result the price of final
goods and services are increases.
b. Identify and evaluate the sources of future growth including from the Commonwealth
advantage.
It is very important to evaluate any problem problem effectively because there is a chance
of opportunities are present in them which helps the organisation to overcome the threats by
making changes in their organisation. The same context are happened with the covid-19 under
which many opportunities are created which provides source of future growth for common
wealth countries (Eggers, Lovelace and Kraft, 2017). The brief discussion related to these are
given below:
Increase in demand of healthy products-
One of the most important and attractive opportunity which is developed in the business
environment by the happening of covid-19 is the shift of consumer taste and preference towards
the healthy food. The main reason behind them is the spread of many diseases in the
environment due to pandemic which makes the life of many people in danger. It is the duty of
the managers of business organisations which perform the food business to make changes in their
business model and adds different healthy food in their menu. This help the companies of
common wealth countries to overcome from the impact of covid and enables considerable
growth.

E-commerce-
E-commerce is one of the most important and beneficial industry which has achieve the
the peak in their growth. Most of the E-commerce companies such as Amazon and many more
has has earn huge revenue at the time of pandemic (Farrell, Oerton and Plant, 2018). When the
government imply lock down in their countries then no one is allowed to purchase the products
from the market so the large number of customers are shifted towards the online shipping apps to
purchase the products. It is the growth opportunity for the common wealth countries that they
motivate their business organisation to develop a online arm of their business and contribute in
the development of nation.
Task-2
a. Why is digital trade now more important than ever? What are its main trends, challenges and
opportunities in the Commonwealth including the effects of COVID-19?
Digital trade is related to those trade which is conducted by the organisation with the help
of internet and modern technology. Digital trade is one of the emerging aspect which helps the
organisation to overcome the negative impact of covid on their business (Goldratt, 2017). There
are many importance of digital trade and the discussion related to them are given below:
Reduces transaction cost
The transaction cost is related to those cost which is incurred by the management of
organisation to at time transaction if they does so manually. There are huge number of
transaction which the business organisation conduct in their operations which makes the amount
of transaction cost very high and impact the profit margins of the organisation. Digital trade is
the solution of this problem it removes many cost in addition to this and the profit margins of the
business. This will motivate the organisation to expand their business which indirectly becomes
the reason for the development of nation.
Increases efficiency of invention
It is very important for the success of the organisation to develop effective research and
development department in their organisation which enables them to invent new and innovative
product for the satisfaction of consumer needs and preference in the market (Lozano and Escrich,
2017). Digital trade enables the organisation to acquire new and modern technology in their
workplace so that operations of trade can be done. It is the duty of the authorities of these

common wealth countries to motivate their business organisation in relation to development of
effective research framework in their organisation so that the development of nation take place.
Increases innovation
It is related to those concept under which the business organisation introduced their
existing product range in the market with the new and innovative features. Innovation is the
important concept to achieve the loyalty of the customers. Nowadays there is a cut throat
competition in the market under which the customers demand new and innovative product
regularly and it is not possible for the management to develop new product fast so they make the
changes in their existing product according to the needs of the customers with the help of
innovation (Nyoni and Bonga, 2018). It is very important to understand that the digital trade
enables the innovation in the country because it involves the needs and preference of the
customers from different countries.
b. There has been much comment on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
However, what is its real significance, the current state of play and how transformative and
inclusive can it be, especially for women?
Common wealth countries is a group of 54 countries under which many developed and under
developed countries are included such as United Kingdom, Africa and many more. The main
objective for the formation of this group is to promote the trade between these nations and to
ensure the development of them also. This group is headed by the Prime minister of United
kingdom Sir Boris Johnson. African Continental Free Trade Area is related to those area of
Africa under which the government of Africa provides different relaxations to trade in this area.
Africa is one of the developing nation which is the part of common wealth countries. This group
has conduct many operation to make the development activities in Africa and also motivate their
business organisations to established their business unites in the region of Africa.
The main advantage of Africa is that there are huge storage of natural resources in the
country and also the companies found cheap labour in this area (Rizwan, 2020). The reason for
the availability of cheap labour in the country is unavailability of business trades in the country.
The labour cost plays an important role in the attraction of the business organisations towards the
country because the cost of labour has great role in the profit margins of the company. If the cost
of labour is high in the business the their profit margins become minimise and cost of labour is
low then vice versa. It is very important for the authorities of the country tom measure such

measures which attracts the business organisation to establish their business operation in the
country. These measures are relaxations in the taxation, import and export duties and also in the
rules related to resource management.
The African Continental Free Trade Area is related to those measure of the government under
which the business organisations conduct their business operations without any difficulties
(Sandhu, Shamsuzzoha and Helo, 2018). The government of Africa provided different types of
subsidies and relaxations to those organisation which has conduct their business operations in the
selected area. The main significance of this programme is that the unemployed citizens of the
country get job and their life style becomes improves. The most important significance of this
programme is that it provides adequate revenue for the development of nation. This programme
are also promoted by the other countries of the commonwealth in their nations and provide
support to those organisations which want to established their business units in the country of
Africa.
The conditions women in the nation of Africa are not favourable because no the women
are getting the higher position in the private as well as public companies. The women's are not
able to enjoy their rights and also to fulfil their duties in the development of nation. The women
are tortured and molested by the people. It is the duty of the government to develops effective
measures for the upliftment of women in the societies (Schaltegger, Burritt and Petersen, 2017).
It is also the responsibilities of their women to make efforts for their development. There are
many rules which can be followed by the government of Africa such as develop rules for the
business organisation to reserves the seats in their management for women and also maintain
considerable ratio of women employees in their organisation. It also suggested their organisation
to spend their amount in the development of women in their corporate social responsibilities.
Task-3
It is very shocking and life changing moment for me because one of the greatest politician and
leader of the world have joined me in the lift. He is the Prime minister of United kingdom and
also the head of common wealth countries called Boris Johnson. There is programme of him in
those building where we were meet. First I greet him with the warm words, at that I was very
nervous but their personality enable to start conversation with them and the warm behaviours of
them also enable to listen my side.

At first I discussed the impact of covid-19 on the common wealth countries which are headed by
them. I express all personal views on the topic and the most important thing which we were
discussed is the condition of Africa which is also a part of commonwealth countries. I concludes
different points such as increase in inflation, in duties and also the negative growth of the
economy (Shelton and Shopley, 2018). The answer of them satisfy me because they told me that
the committee of common wealth countries focuses on the issue faces by the country and try to
develop different different measures for the development of the country such as to motivate their
business organisation in the region of Africa so that the development of nation take place.
The second thing which I discuses with the is the increasing trend of digital trade in the world
under which I suggested the importance of this type of trade in the country and how they play
their role in the development of the nation. They assured me to take into consideration in relation
to the motivation of their business organisation to use digital trade.
CONCLUSION
It is concluded from this report that there is no business which does not faces problems in the
management and it is the duty of the management to find the opportunities from these problems
and makes them favourable for their business. This report concludes the impact of covid on the
trade of common wealth countries and also the various opportunities present with them.

REFERENCES
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