Or that business success depends on the way market challenges and the right business plan are dealt with.
We are in the late 19th Century, when colonial Africa was "opening up" as a market for European shoe and clothing manufacturers. All (or almost all) business missions to explore the African market returned with the same answer : " Nobody wears shoes in Africa. Everyone walks around barefoot. So there is no prospect for us in this market.
But the representative of the Bata company (from Zlin, Czechoslovakia, please) conveyed a different "picture": "Nobody wears shoes there! This is a great opportunity for our products!"
The continuation has vindicated him and Tomas Bata. Today, Bata shoes are known as "the shoes of Africa" with stores in 19 of the 54 African countries (Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia), Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Mozambique, Namibia, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe).
After the Second World War, Tomas Bata, created a 
a business plan for survival and growth, so that his business could cope with the post-war economic challenges. The plan was based on reducing the price of Bata footwear by 50%. He created quality worker housing around the factories offering housing with cheap rent. He also ensured that his workers had access to cheaper (not quality) food, cheaper clothing and education and health services. All this close to their workplace. The "plan" included 40% cuts in workers' pay to reduce production costs, but the savings from the above actions more than offset the wage cuts. All employees stayed and supported the company's efforts and benefited collectively when the company became profitable through special employee reward programs and gradual wage adjustments.
The expansion plan in Africa also included many carefully planned corporate social responsibility activities, donating thousands of pairs of shoes to the needy and children.
During the cold war period, the communist regimes of Eastern Europe nationalised the enterprises and factories of the Bata. The company managed to restructure itself on the basis of the infrastructure that it had planned to create outside Czechoslovakia, the Tomas Bata.
Today in Zlin, the city that is the headquarters of the Bata, even operates a university named after the founder of the company. The university, like a number of other social contribution projects, is funded by the Tomas Bata.
English (UK)