Author(s)

Lyatamila Ndyali

Faculty of Foreign Language, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.

Africa is the fastest economic growing continent in the world and the most diverse continent, however different part from the cardinal may experience different cultural dimension, belief and values; and how they emphasize on the importance of foreign investment. This paper overlooks the relationship built between China and African countries. Given that China attaches great importance to the Belt and Road Initiative and the expanding scale of outbound investment, this paper explores the impact of cultural factors on the choices of outbound investment models by Chinese enterprises. There so, the paper has selected countries from a four cardinal directions representatives: Egypt (Northern Africa); Ghana (Western Africa); Kenya (Eastern Africa) and South Africa (Southern Africa). The methodology in this study includes phenomenological method with comparative analysis by using the Hofstede’s culture dimension indicator and the data of Chinese OFDI flows and stocks in 2020. This study interprets the meaning of experiences of human life. The analysis of the main investment patterns of Chinese companies and the four representative countries shows that the cultural dimension has a greater influence on the choice of investment patterns, while the influence of the masculinity dimension is weaker. For countries with different cultural dimensional relationships, Chinese companies are more willing to invest in a way that has low cultural adaptation costs to facilitate the smooth implementation of investment. This paper has also incorporated a new culture dimension of self identity and awareness (Confucianism culture and Ubuntu culture as a dimension that have to be explored more, furthermore the author calls upon the revival of understanding the Ubuntu culture dimension that represents Africa have which was lost to be explored thoroughly from theoretical and policy contribution so as to understand African states values and norms originality. The study also puts out suggestions for smoother cooperation among Chinese direct investment in the BRI countries in Africa from the perspectives of enterprises and the government.

Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Outward Foreign Direct Investment Models (OFDI), Cultural Factors, Oversea Investment and Economic Development

Ndyali, L. (2024) A Study Exploring the Belt and Road Initiative and the Impact on the Cultural Differences in Africa Cooperative Countries. Modern Economy, 15, 144-162. doi: 10.4236/me.2024.152008.