So often conversations about technology tend toward the obvious and taken-for-granted, riddled with assumptions and unsupported conjecture. This post challenges you to think. Think different. Ask the difficult questions. Create interesting insights for yourself. Let me know what you think. 1. You don’t have the right to choose: Why do you have a mobile phone, […]
Graunt Kruger
I have undertaken extensive academic studies in line with my interest in social innovation and technology in economic development.
Early on in my career, I opted to gain professional experience in some of South Africa’s largest corporations such as Vodacom and Standard Bank, while simultaneously building my academic credentials through leading universities such as Rhodes University, Wits University and London School of Economics. Over the years I have developed a keen sense for academically grounded commercial opportunities with social impact.
In my time at Standard Bank – one of South Africa’s largest commercial banks – I was fortunate to make a contribution to social change through commercial solutions. I held three positions in both individual and business banking services for the unbanked, and those excluded from the financial system.
In 2005 I was a Nelson Mandela Scholar at the London School of Economics and completed a Master of Science in New Media, Information & Society focusing on technology capability learning in innovation hubs. In 2008 I completed an MBA with Wits Business School, during which I researched strategy processes for innovation in large corporations. I also hold a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Rhodes University. My continuous drive for innovative solutions has led to my PhD research on financial inclusion, which challenges the current boundaries of financial services for the poor, indentifies gaps in financial sector policy and future directions for innovations in financial services.
Posted inTech
What business can learn from the open-source movement
When was the last time you thought “I love the company I work for?” Google came out tops in a recent Fortune magazine “Best Companies to work for in the US” survey. They were lauded for their generous employee benefits and facilities. These types of tangible benefits are easy to see, measure and appreciate. It’s […]
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Divided we stand
As a socially conscious, free-thinking African with a will to do good and a keen interest in technology, I have spent quite a bit of time thinking about the issue commonly called the digital divide. Simply put, it connotes the perceived difference between technology haves and have-nots. The haves are thought to be in a […]