Critical Analysis: Commonwealth Trade, Digital Trade, Africa Change

This report examines critical issues in business management, focusing on the impact of COVID-19 on Commonwealth countries' global and intra-Commonwealth trade, and prospects for trade recovery. It identifies and evaluates sources of future growth, including the Commonwealth advantage, and discusses the increasing importance of digital trade, its trends, challenges, and opportunities, including the effects of COVID-19. Furthermore, the report analyzes the significance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), its current state, and its potential for transformative and inclusive growth, especially for women. The report concludes with a personal reflection on a conversation with Sir Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister of the UK.

Critical issues in
business management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
Create a Padlet in relation to the following tasks:.......................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
Write a report titled ‘Commonwealth trade, digital trade and change in Africa’ in response to
the following tasks:......................................................................................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................9
Record a 60 second ‘elevator pitch’ in response to the following task:......................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
The concept of business management is concerned with those organisational management
in which the administration operates the activities of planning, organising, staffing as well as
controlling the human resources of the organisation for attaining the objectives of the business.
Various difficulties and problems can be there in business management that can originate due to
the external environment and mismanagement within organisation. Managers of the company are
accountable for evaluating the external environment in an effective manner along with
developing the measures for dealing them. COVID-19 is considered as one of the leading factor
that negatively impacted the operations of a business. This enables the economies of the world
for representing in an adverse way (Aggarwal, 2021). The unfavourable influence of this growth
is that the business model of any of the organisation destroy as well as it becomes impossible for
them to survive. Within this report, the condition of common wealth countries because of
COVID-19 will be discussed. Along with it, there will be discussion in relation to the impact of
pandemic on the trade among the common wealth countries as well as the various sources of
future growth associated with them. Furthermore, this report also states the discussion related to
the significance of digital trade and trend along with the opportunities available in the market. In
this report, there will be a personal reflection on the conversation between Sir Boris Johnson who
is the Prime Minister of UK.
MAIN BODY
TASK 1
Create a Padlet in relation to the following tasks:
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?
COVID-19 is one of the most significant blunder that influence the business concern of
the world as it hinders the business model of many organisations as well as destroy the
commercial cycle of most of the nations (Berry and Berry, 2018). The pandemic situation of
COVID-19 has greatly impact the business trade of commonwealth nations and in relation to
this, there is a brief discussion that is given as follows:
Negative growth of the economy: This is the greatest adverse impact of the pandemic
situation of the COVID-19 among commonwealth nations. The economies of the various

countries have intense dependency on their business concerns as it provided them the tax
revenues as well as many opportunities for country's growth. The organisations are not restricted
with the tax revenues but also design their duties in employment as well as development
activities that has major influence on the nation's economy (Bhaskar, 2018). The political system
or the government of commonwealth countries announce the guidelines of economic lockdown
within their nations. According to this guideline, not any single organisation is allowed to open
their business premises or offices and because of which the cycle of the economy got stop and
impacted adversely.
Increases export and import duties: The revenues of the government re also negatively
impacted because of the pandemic situation of the COVID-19 as all the sources of the income
became ineffective because of the economic lockdown. Each organisation has to stop its business
operations and because of which the government of the respective countries has to incurred huge
losses in terms of tax. Revenue from the international trade is another source of income but
because of the pandemic the expenses of the government extends. The political system of the
commonwealth nations have tried to overcome the situation of COVID-19 and also had
increased the duties on export as well as import. This strategy is considered as beneficial for the
government as losses incurred because of pandemic situation can be break down. Increment in
the duties results in reduction in the level of international trade. It has adversely influence the
profitability level of the organisations that demotivated them to export as well as import of the
products and the services from one nation to another.
Increases inflation: Business activities along with the economies of various countries
are highly impacted because of the pandemic situation of the COVID-19 (Caven and Nachmias,
2017). The major reason behind the inflation in products and services is the reduction in the
operations of the international trade as well as increment in the rates of raw material.
b. Identify and evaluate the sources of future growth including from the Commonwealth
advantage.
Commonwealth is considered as a voluntary association of 54 nations where various
developed as well as developing countries are involved for the purpose of gaining common goals
and objectives in an effective and efficient way. These goals and objectives are considered as the
sustainable development within the countries along with expanding the trades in these nations in
an effective manner. For improving the growth among respective nations, they take specific

measures so that their future growth can be improved effectively and efficiently. There are some
sources that facilitate them to improve future growth and these sources are explained as under:
Rise in demand of healthy products: Nowadays, there is increment in the demand of
healthy products among the nations as people are more concerned towards their health (Cooke,
2021). Customers are becoming health conscious because of the spread of infectious disease all
over the world like coronavirus. In modern era, the people are demanding those products which
are healthier and helps in increasing the level of their immunity so that they can defeat the
infectious disease in an effective way. In order to enhance sales volume, companies are using
healthy products that satisfy the needs and requirements of the customers. This facilitates
commonwealth
nations in improving their future growth effectively as well as efficiently.
Advancements in technology: With the passage of time, technologies are highly
developed and upgraded and it becomes a significant tool for the organisations for improving the
process of conducting business activities by adopting latest as well as advanced technologies
available to them. It provide assistance to the business organisations in expanding sales volume
and thereby profits as well as growth of business. Latest techniques are modifying the process of
designing, transporting and many other that facilitates companies in order to accomplish business
functions effectively by introducing new products for capturing more of the customers. The
recent and modified techniques helps the organisations in optimising then utilisation of resources
by decreasing the time as well as cost of the business. Advancements in technologies will also
facilitate the environment in decreasing the pollution level among countries. It makes all
organisations of all commonwealth nations for adopting new technologies in the process of
production (Farrell, Oerton and Plant, 2018). This helps commonwealth nations in improving
their future growth effectively and is significant for organisations to get update from constantly
developing technologies.
E-commerce: It is considered as the process of buying and selling the products and
services through online mode all over the world with the help of internet. In modern era, people
are using various online sources for purchasing the products from the world. There are many
organisations like Amazon, FlipKart, E-bay and many more that are delivering their products and
services through the mode of online for capturing more of the target base throughout the world.
During pandemic situation of COVID-19, commonwealth companies have earned greater level

of revenue as people are not allowed to buy products from the physical market and were using
the online websites to purchase the products in safe manner. This helps in creating the growth
opportunities for commonwealth nations for improving their future growth effectively and
efficiently.
TASK 2
Write a report titled ‘Commonwealth trade, digital trade and change in Africa’ in response
to the following tasks:
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 defined as that trade which held among the nations or the different
business organisations where various online modes and technologies are used to operate their
business operations (Ghouri and et.al, 2020). This is one of the most significant prospect that is
necessary for the commonwealth countries to overcome the threats of coronavirus and other
natural disasters. This is essential for any business organisation for making heavy instruments
that are required to make the upgraded technologies. This helps in creating the processes of
business digitally and their benefits can be acquired by the countries and businesses. Digital
trade has played a significant role in the development of the country because of their importance
that are described as under:
Declines cost of transaction: It is the cost that negatively influence the profitability of
the business organisations. Most of the organisations does nor perform the international trade due
to high transaction cost because it incurs huge amount of loss to the organisation. Digital trade
performs an essential part within the prospect as it reduces the organisation's cost of transaction
and other related cost also (Kizildag and et.al, 2019). The amount invested in commencement of
the international trade is very high however, it is one time investment and after that organisations
enjoy its benefits for a long-run.
Enhance invention efficiency: The invention is associated with the development of new
things by conducting in-depth research as well as analysis. In modern era, taste and preferences
of the consumer are frequently changing and they demand innovative products. Digital trade
helps the business in using recent and advanced technologies that results in the sufficient
resources with manpower that facilitates in satisfying the needs of customers by developing

innovative products. This is responsibility of organisational management for supporting
manpower and resources so that efficiency of invention can be enhanced.
Enhances innovation: Innovation is concerned with introducing existing products or
services with some additional features that satisfy the needs of the customers. This is an
essential part that helps in evaluation of requirements of audience in an effective way. Because in
modern era, there is cut throat competition in the market place and target-base are demanding
innovative products (Liebowitz, 2020). Making use of digital trade facilitates the organisation in
developing the products as per perceptions of consumers.
Main trend and opportunities developed in commonwealth countries due to COV ID-19:
Due to pandemic situation of COVID-19, the trends as well as opportunities are totally
changed as taste and preferences of the consumers are varying within market place. This is
necessary for businesses of commonwealth nations for analysing requirements of customers and
creating opportunities for them. Below is a discussion in relation to trend and opportunities that
developed in commonwealth nations:
Trend towards work from home: Many business organisations are now using this
trend. Under this aspect, workforce of organisation perform their duties by sitting at their homes.
This happened because of the government guidelines towards COVID-19 in which they prefer to
maintain minimum employees working from their homes but it is demand of time.
Preference towards healthy food products: Taste and preferences of customers have
been moved towards consumption of healthy food products. The main cause behind this shift
was the rapidly spreading of infectious disease of COVID-19. Within the market, all customers
are ignored for consuming unhealthy a well as junk food (Lu, Papagiannidis and Alamanos,
2018). This is responsibility of business organisations like restaurants, hotels and cafeterias to
add healthy food in their menu cards and grab the opportunity.
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?
Africa is one of the nation that is grouped under the part of underdeveloped organisations
in which the level of trade is not up to the mark and also not having more opportunities regarding
business. The requirement of the nation is the development of business organisations that
generates employment and took part in development of country. In present world, most of

nations are trying to operate their business in international countries for taking competitive
benefits. Natural resources of nation are fully charged and it is advantageous for organisation as
they get raw material for production easily. On of the best benefit of operating business in Africa
is low wages of labour within country. Because of high unemployment and less job opportunities
in country, the labour class can work in low wage rates so that their necessary needs can be
fulfilled. Wages rate is one of the dominating factor of production cost as it influence
profitability of business. This is an opportunity for the organisation for conducting its production
processes in country and enjoys low rates of wages (Peters, Smith and Thomas, 2018). It helps
the company in increasing the profitability level of the business. COVID-19 is the dangerous
factor that influence business operations in an adverse manner and also reduces the market
opportunities. Market of Africa is also impacted by this infectious disease as many organisations
got collapsed because of COVID-19. Nation's economy suffers from strict slowdown and
represents a a negative indicator for business. Because of the labour rates and resources of
Africa, the group of G-7 nations have desires to take entry into Africa and operate trade within
country. These nations also bring many of the businesses with them that set up their business
segments in various parts of the nation. This is the responsibility of the authorities for building
effective relationship with these countries so that nation can gain benefits from their effective
business returns. Entrance of businesses contributed to the development of Africa in many
prospects that are given as follows:
Decreases unemployment: In Africa, the rate of employment is very less that negatively
influence the economy as employment is considered as a significant variable for an economy.
Entrance of organisations within the nation played an important role in creating employment
opportunities in country.
Extends investment: It is considered as one of the most important factor that arises
because of the entry of business organisations in Africa as the presence of natural resources as
well as business organisations of the respective nation captures various kinds of investors
towards the country (Qushem and et.al, 2017). The level of investment plays a significant role in
development of nation in the form of better returns from the investment.
This is very necessary for a nation to male concentration on the issue of women
empowerment so that the condition of women within the society can be improved. The concept
of women empowerment is associated with rising the level of women within the society. It is

only possible when there is involvement of women in the management of the organisations and
also by providing them considerable opportunities for showing their worth. This is the
accountability of the government of the country for framing rules as well as regulations
regarding the reservation of seats for women in various private and public organisations.
Corporate Social Responsibility plays a crucial role in the development of the country by siding
the taxation concept (Weston and Imas, 2018). CSR is concerned with the concepts under which
organisations have to spend particular percentage of profits in the development of countries.
Business activities operated by organisations involving the concept of CSR provides advantages
to the government through giving specific percentage of profits.
TASK 3
Record a 60 second ‘elevator pitch’ in response to the following task:
When I met the Prime Minister of United Kingdom and the Chairman of commonwealth
nations Mr. Boris Johnson, it was the life changing and shocking moment for me. First of all, I
greet Prime Minister and introduced myself in an attractive way so that I can start to talk with
him. It was an opportunity for me to express my views on the condition of commonwealth
nations because of the COVID-19. He is the gentle personnel and not expressed any kind of
attitude during the conversation with me. Here is a brief discussion in relation to this
conversation that is given as below:
The very first thing which I discussed with the respected Prime Minister was about the
influence of COVID-19 on the trade among commonwealth nations. I also shared various
prospects like the adverse growth of the economy and also the increment in the xeport as well as
import duties within the country. I told him that the increment within these duties resulted in the
reduction of international trade. The response of the Prime Minister towards this aspect was very
satisfying for me as he told me regarding the several strategies as well as measures which their
government and political system conducted to reduce the influence of COVID-19 on the nation.
The aspects that are related to the increment in duties, he told me that the influence of COVID-
19 is on the revenues of the government also and it made the revenues insufficient to fight with
the COVID-19 like health care a well as many other sectors. The next discussion was in relation
to the different sources of the future growth that are present along with the commonwealth
nations. At this time, he told me that there are also many opportunities that are generated within

the market place like increasing demand of the healthy food products along with the trend of
online shopping. He also told me that many of the business organisations are taking various
advantages from these strategies and then suddenly the door open so the Prime minister had to
went in their programme.
CONCLUSION
From above explanation of the report, it has been concluded that there are various
difficulties that are occurred in the business organisation. And it is the responsibility of the
manager to develop distinct strategies so that the problems within the business can be solved out
in an effective manner by not impacting the operations of organisation. Within this existing
report, the brief discussion has been explained in relation to the various sources of future growth
that are present with them. Along with it, the discussion related to the importance of digital trade
as well as the trend and opportunities present in market has also been described in this report.
Furthermore, this report has also included a personal reflection regarding the conversation with
the Prime Minister of UK.

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