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May 26, 2024 | 
acumenmagazine.co.za | Wendy du Plessis |Norma Young |Mpho Majoro |Cara Bower
Widespread urban development, aging infrastructure and the very real effects of climate change are the causes of a worsening global freshwater scarcity crisis. As a result, a number of cities around the world are likely to face severe water shortages and even run out of water in the near future.
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May 22, 2024 | 
acumenmagazine.co.za | Norma Young |Mpho Majoro |Cara Bower
Individuals have a role to play in mitigating climate change, but it's organisations that should make the biggest contribution. The reason? Because when they create negative impacts, these tend to be catastrophic. It’s industries and companies, rather than homes, that are on the list of the Dirtiest Dozen. This group, all in the oil and gas sector, collectively accounts for about $15 trillion in damages to the planet.
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May 19, 2024 | 
acumenmagazine.co.za | Mpho Majoro |Cara Bower |Norma Young |Wendy dy Plessis
The Asia-Africa Partnership Forum brought together young South African and Japanese entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector to take part in a collaborative empowerment and innovation project. With funding from the Alliance for African Partnerships (AAP) and the Toshiba International Foundation, 10 young people from South Africa and five from Japan were brought together to broaden their knowledge in the agribusiness sector.
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May 15, 2024 | 
acumenmagazine.co.za | Cara Bower |Norma Young |Wendy dy Plessis |Eugene Yiga
Maybe you plugged this question about resource-hungry sectors into GPT4 or Microsoft Bing and, if you did, then chances are you got a response something like this:“Based on my search results, the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning on power and water resources is still a topic of research and debate. However, I found that the aviation industry is one of the most energy-intensive industries, accounting for more than 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions….
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Jan 24, 2024 | 
acumenmagazine.co.za | Cara Bouwer |Faith Mashele |Frank Magwegwe |Cara Bower
There are, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, approximately 582 million entrepreneurs around the world. Not all fall into the glamorous or high-profile category of a Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, a Koos Becker or an Aliko Dangote, and yet most face the same (or likely more) day-to-day challenges of accessing markets, building marketing collateral, securing finance, and developing and retaining talent.
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Jan 17, 2024 | 
acumenmagazine.co.za | Frank Magwegwe |Cara Bower |Mothsedisi Mathibe |Faith Mashele
The ability to craft and share a compelling and authentic narrative can be a transformative force in any business’s journey. A unique story not only helps differentiate a business from competitors, it also enables it to connect emotionally with its audience, building a sense of trust and loyalty that goes beyond mere transactions. The brand story is an essential piece of any business toolkit. However, it is a skill that needs to be honed in order to have greater impact.
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Dec 13, 2023 | 
acumenmagazine.co.za | Frank Magwegwe |Cara Bower |Mothsedisi Mathibe |Adrian Savile
All jobs have their stress-inducing moments and stamina-demanding requirements, but these are so marked among entrepreneurs that it has led to the coining of a distinct term: founder depression. In 2015, Dr. Michael Freeman, a psychiatrist and researcher at UC San Francisco, conducted a study that revealed stark differences between the general population and business owners.
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Dec 10, 2023 | 
acumenmagazine.co.za | Cara Bower |Mothsedisi Mathibe |Adrian Savile
One of the big promises from India ahead of August’s 15th Brics Summit in Sandton, South Africa, was the launch of a Brics start-up forum. India’s President Narendra Modi was upbeat about that country’s success in improving its ease of doing business and how it had “replaced red tape with red carpet for investors”.
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Nov 19, 2023 | 
acumenmagazine.co.za | Cara Bower
Naturally we all think about the future, says leadership development designer Gillian Cross. This is why future preparedness isn’t just a discussion at leader level or as part of an organisational context: it’s a skill we all need to harness. That said, adds Cross, “the skills you acquire with futures consciousness are absolutely necessary for leadership, and for leading yourself.
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Nov 1, 2023 | 
acumenmagazine.co.za | Margaret MacMillan |Tamara Oberholster |Cara Bower
But what the past will not do is provide the magic formula for how to become an effective leader. Looking for clear lessons in history is a futile quest: there are too many and their meaning is always in dispute. History can be useful, however, in suggesting patterns and parallels, raising questions, and – equally important – giving warnings about why things go wrong.
