One Africa Network Project

少数民族企业家传统上与增长较低的工业部门有关(Jones和Ram，2007年；Carter等人，2015；Ram等人，2016，第6页)。少数民族初创企业和小企业相对于其他种族的缓慢增长和高早期失败率、相互关联的创业生态系统、商业和管理技能的短缺以及难以获得信息和资源的情况，并没有帮助这一挑战。受种族分层和地理挑战的影响，少数民族企业家，特别是非洲企业，经常处于政府倡议和支持的末尾(博伊德，2018)，包括他们通常通过各种地区商会等半官方机构提供。One Africa Network(OAN)是SSCG Consulting的倡议，SSCG Consulting是为黑人和非洲企业家、投资者、企业和中部地区的领导人和专业人士，成立于2018年，旨在激励、支持和推动非洲企业进入更高增长和更有回报的行业。作为中部非洲黑人少数族裔企业家和专业人士的代言人，自2018年以来，OAN通过定期活动和倡议，提高了中部数百名黑人和非洲少数族裔专业人士、企业家和小企业的潜力、参与度、竞争力和生产率。在Covid19大流行之前，我们通过组织面对面的鼓舞人心的和能力发展活动来满足上述需求，这些活动有助于联系成员，促进黑人和非洲社区就紧迫的商业和经济问题进行辩论，鼓励跨不同商业部门和学科共享知识、机会和合作。这为我们的成员提供了几个好处，包括学习和分享新的机会，建立新的协作、创业和管理技能网络。然而，自从Covid19大流行和随后的政府封锁以来，使用以前的方法无法举办这些面对面的活动--然而，如果有什么不同的话，那就是对我们成员的需求因骚乱而加剧。为了远程接触我们的成员并向他们提供服务，我们必须在我们的方法和运营模式上进行创新和变革，利用数字技术并将我们所有的活动转移到网上。这个项目将帮助我们与我们的成员保持联系，并为他们提供支持。额外的资金将使OAN计划能够延长项目持续时间并创新其运营模式，以提供更多可交付成果，对成员产生影响，并通过帮助英国各地受新冠肺炎影响的广泛业务和专业人士转变技能和业务，获取新知识，建立网络和弹性，以驾驭当前具有挑战性的经济环境，向市场推出新业务和产品，为他们提供支持。

Ethnic minority entrepreneurs (EMEs) have traditionally been associated with lower growth industry sectors (Jones and Ram, 2007; Carter _et al._, 2015; Ram _et al._, 2016, p. 6). This challenge has not been helped by slow growth and high early-failure of minorities' start-ups and small businesses - relative that of other ethnicities, a disconnected entrepreneurial ecosystem, business and management skills' shortages and poor access to information and resources.Bogged down by ethnic stratification and geographical challenges, ethnic minority entrepreneurs, and African businesses in particular, have often been at the tail end of government initiatives and support (Boyd, 2018), including that they are typically delivered through Quangos such as the various regional chambers of commerce.One Africa Network (OAN) is an initiative of SSCG Consulting, the leading network for Black and African entrepreneurs, investors, businesses, leaders and professionals in the Midlands, established in 2018 with a vision to inspire, support and catapult African businesses into higher growth and more rewarding industry sectors. As the voice of Black African Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurs and professional in the midlands, OAN, through regular events and initiatives, has, since 2018, enhanced the potential, participation, competitiveness and productivity of hundreds of Black and African Minority professionals, entrepreneurs and small businesses in the Midlands.Prior to the Covid19 pandemic, our solutions to address the above needs were delivered through organising face to face inspirational and capacity development events that helped to connect members, facilitate debate on pressing business and economic issues amongst the Black and African communities, encouraged the sharing of knowledge, opportunities and collaboration across various business sectors and disciplines. This offered several benefits to our members, including learning and sharing new opportunities, building new networks for collaboration, entrepreneurial & management skills. However, since the Covid19 pandemic, and subsequent Government lockdown, it has not been possible to host these face-to-face activities, using previous methods - yet the needs for our members have, if anything, been exacerbated by the pandemic.In order to reach and deliver service to our members remotely, we have had to be innovative and transformative in our approach and operating model, taking advantage of digital technologies and moving all our activities online. This project will help us to maintain contact with, and support for our members. Additional funding will allow OAN programme to increase project duration and innovate its operating model to give additional deliverables, impact to members and provide support to wide BAME businesses and professionals affected by COVID-19 across the UK by helping them to transform skills and businesses, gain new knowledge, build networks and resilience to navigate current challenging economic environment, launch new businesses and products to markets.