Management in Africa

This chapter considers the nature of management in Africa, and examines the theory and practice of management in Kenya in order to establish the context within which the research was conducted and proposes a model for managing people in Africa. It presents essential background material in order to characterize the issues that impact on management practice in a developing country context. The introduction of management practices like human resource management/Human Resource Development is largely a consequence of foreign investments. The case material itself reveals that many of the changes being introduced in the management of people emanate from headquarters abroad. The foregoing implies a contingent orientation to effective management practice. The weaknesses in strategic management can also be attributed to the enduring drive to survive the challenges of the “external environment”. The chapter focuses on the foregoing to explore the case for a model of management that is suitable for the needs of Africa in general.