The Challenge of Management Scholarship in Africa

Abstract

In her speech marking the opening of the second biannual meeting of the Africa Academy of Management (AFAM) in Gabarone, Bostwana, in January 2014, the Honorable Linah K. Mohohlo, Governor of the Bank of Bostwana, raised three important issues that caught the attention of scholars focusing on management research and practice in Africa. The three issues were: (1) How can we make management theories relevant to the African context? (2) How can management contribute to sustainable development in Africa? And (3) how can management help promote a business environment conducive to the creation and sustainability of small and medium-size businesses in Africa? The aim of this article is to explore the extent to which management scholarship in Africa could indeed address these challenges.