Emerald | African Journal of Economic and Management Studies | Table of Contents

Advancing Africa through Management Knowledge and Practice: The Way Forward

Fri, 05 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - This paper reviews and summarizes the articles that were accepted for the special issue focusing on "Advancing Africa through Management knowledge and practice. The article also provides suggestions for future research focus for researchers on management issues in and about Africa.Design/methodology/approach - The paper presents a conceptual review the distinctiveness of the five articles in the special issue which focus a personal reflection about management research and education in Africa, effective leadership development in Africa and the African diaspora, performance management implementation in the public sector; internationalization process of African businesses with special reference to banks; and strategic factors that could be emphasized by African firms to improve their performance. These papers are synthesized to present a coherent management research framework for Africa. Findings - African management research requires a strategic choice approach, which asks interesting questions focusing on issues relevant to the growth of African businesses and the development of African national economies. African management research needs an identity that is uniquely African such as the intersection of private and public (including governments) interests; and the blurred nature of the formal and informal sectors.Research limitations/implications - The recommendations provided in this article will be helpful to researchers interested in African management issues in advancing the production of management knowledge needed for the enhancement of management practice both in the private and public sectors for sustainable social and economic development in Africa.Originality/value - The paper presents some opportunities and value of conducting management research in and about Africa in the areas of leadership and also followership; the strategies, entrepreneurial tendencies, human resources, and employee behaviors in public sector organizations; the internationalization experiences and processes of African business both within Africa and outside Africa; strategic management in both private and public organizations; and recognizing that Africa is not a homogenous continent in terms of culture, environment, institutions, systems, and structures.

Personal Reflections on African Management: Looking In, Looking Out and Looking Ahead

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (Moses Kiggundu) — Fri, 05 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - To provide a revised and extended keynote address I made at the Inaugural Conference of the Africa Academy of Management on August 11, 2011, San Antonio, Texas. The purpose is to relect on my own career and work relating to African management and to identify opportunities, challenges and responsibities of advancing Africa through management.Design/methodology/approach - Personal reflections, drawing on my own over thrity years of active reserach, education and practice of management in Africa and other developing countries and emerging economiesFindings - Africa has mage progress, but challenges remain. With progress comes opportunites and responsiblities. AFAM, in collaboration with other like-minded organizations such as the Academy of Management has a unique opportunity to advance Africa through management knowledge, reserach, education and practice. While a strategic alliance with the Academy of Management is critical for advancing management in Africa, the Africa Academy of Management must develop a business model different from the Academy of Management. Research limitations/implications - The views and opinions espressed in this paper are mine alone. They are offered here for reflection, deliberation and debate.Practical implications - I have made suggestions relating to various aspects of management in Africa, including strategic choices for young academics intrested in building a career on African management, how to build quality business schools and other institutions for advancing management in Africa, developing strategic alliances with like-minded partners, and alternative structures for the Africa Academy of Management. Originality/value - Personal reflections are always original because they are the results of one's own life and work experiences.

LEADERSHIP IN UGANDA, BARBADOS, CANADA, AND THE UNITED STATES: EXPLORATORY PERSPECTIVES

Fri, 05 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - This study considers effective leadership in Africa and the African diaspora. This paper reports the results of emic research in Uganda, Barbados, Canada and the United States. Design/methodology/approach - A Delphi Technique using open-ended questions (Hsu & Sanford, 2007) solicited ideas regarding leadership from knowledgeable participants, avoiding researcher bias. Findings - There were differences among the groups on several attributes that made leaders effective. Ugandans suggested a good leader was an honest and trustworthy; Canadians and respondents from the United States said being inspirational/charismatic; Barbadians cited being a visionary. Research limitations/implications - Having data for only one African country and the small sample sizes from all countries limit the generalizability of the findings. The results do, however, provide a base of knowledge on which to build future studies on Africa and the diaspora.Originality/value - The emic approach overcomes the western bias identified by scholars in most African research. Similarities and differences identified provide evidence of the importance of culture in effective leadership. The results provide a basis for developing further research studies.

CHALLENGES IMPACTING PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT IMPLEMENTATION IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES: A CASE OF UGANDA

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (Bernadette Nambi Karuhanga, Amanda Werner) — Fri, 05 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this study was to identify the challenges impacting performance management implementation in public universities in Uganda. Design/methodology/approach - The philosophy underpinning this study was the pragmatic world view. A mixed methods approach was adopted. Both qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used. The phenomenology strategy through interviews conducted with purposively selected top administrators of a selected public university and a cross sectional survey strategy administered to academic staff in four public universities using a disproportionate stratified random sampling technique were applied. Findings - The findings reveal that the major challenges impacting performance management implementation in universities in Uganda could be categorised as (i) Lack of a formal performance management environment (ii) Limited employee engagement/communication problems (iii) Institutional systems and structural constraints (iv) Institutional governance challenges. Among the enlisted challenges the specific items on which respondents had the highest level of agreement are: limited motivation and staff morale, limited and uneven cash flows and poor physical infrastructure.Research limitations/implications - Only four public universities were subject to investigation therefore the results of this research might not be conclusive in giving a general picture in all universities in Uganda. Public universities in Uganda are characterised by a high lecturer/student ratio which may not be the case in universities in other countries. Hence, challenges impacting performance management implementation in Uganda may not necessarily be applicable to all institutions of higher learning and in all developing countries. Practical implications - Knowledge of the challenges impacting public universities allows managers to pay close attention to the critical challenges thereby taking precautionary measures on how to minimize and overcome them. Originality/value - This study is an empirical contribution to the literature on institutional performance management specifically with regard to challenges of performance management implementation in public universities in Uganda.

Internationalisation process of African banks: an exploratory study

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (Dev Kumar Boojihawon) — Fri, 05 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - Research investigating the internationalisation process of firms from Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is limited. This paper draws on extant work on internationalisation theory to propose an integrative framework that investigates the internationalisation process of African banks. Design/methodology/approach - Using a qualitative, case-based approach, the study explores the distinct cases of four banks (three in Nigeria and one in Kenya/Mauritius) and explores their internationalisation behaviour and pathways to understand how they have leverage their ability to internationalise their businesses.Findings - The findings illustrate how the internationalisation pathways of African banks are shaped by a balancing act of leveraging accumulated global and regional strengths to achieve international growth and expansion. Research limitations/implications - The study acknowledges that it draws from a limited empirical base on a very important topic and it so study provides directions for further research towards understanding the internationalisation process of firms in SSA and highlight some policy implications.Originality/value - This is an original piece of work attempting to shed light on an underresearch subject of internationalisation of firms from SSA from a process perspective by analysing the case of four banks in Nigeria and Kenya.

Strategic Factors and Firm Performance in an Emerging Economy

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (Obi Berko Obeng Damoah) — Fri, 05 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - The objective of this paper is to critically examine the strategic factors that explain performance of SMEs from the Ghanaian manufacturing industry.Design/methodology/approach - Six hypotheses are posed to achieve the stated objectives. The study employs World Bank data relating to a panel of firms within the Ghanaian manufacturing sector from 1991 - 2002 to address the proposed hypotheses. By pooling the data, the OLS regression, F-test and the independent t-test were main statistical tools applied to analyse the data set.Findings - The results indicate that workforce productivity influence firm performance in a significant way. The reason for this is because the productivity improvement processes of the productive firms are linked to low operating cost advantages enabling them to outperform their competitors. Having joint venture (JV) ownership affect firm performance within the Ghanaian manufacturing sub-sector considerably compared to the wholly indigenously owned. The paper concludes that alliances with foreign businesses by indigenous firms boost the capacity of the local firms with regard to human and financial capital resources as well as linking them to international supply and distribution networks that can greatly enhance their performance.Research limitations/implications - Wide generalization cannot be predicted in other contexts because of the industry and country specific contexts that were applied. Consequently, the usefulness of the study is limited to Ghana and its manufacturing sub-sector, so future research can analyse different sub-sectors from Ghana as well as other country context.Practical implications - Owner-managed firms within the Ghanaian manufacturing sub-sector with growth ambition must systematically and serendipitously invest in international alliances because the results showed the alliances boost their resource-base thereby to creating opportunity for higher performance. Further, in order to achieve a higher competitive position about performance, it is crucial that entrepreneurs from the manufacturing sub-sector of Ghana periodically build the capacity of their workforce because evidence from the study shows that workforce productivity significantly impacts on firm performance.Originality/value - This paper addresses a crucial knowledge opening with regard to firm level research that links public policy to practice in the Ghanaian manufacturing sub-sector in order to ensure effective and efficient mobilisation, allocation and utilisation of scarce resources, given economic growth prospects in Ghana in the light of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Africa in Transition – The journey from traditional to modern

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (John Kuada) — Fri, 05 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Not available.