African Values for the Practice of Human Resource Management

Abstract

Özet: The importance of cultural values for management practice in Africa has become increasingly obvious in recent years as many expectations of African organizations and institutions created and managed along lines of Western management assumptions, textbooks and models have not achieved the expected results of sustainable economic development and growth. In Africa, we have very limited knowledge about its cultural values and the consequences it poses for management practice in African organizations. The research project investigated some African traditional values in Nigerian work organizations. The research question that the study tries to address is: to what extent is the assumptions in Western management theories consistent with the African Traditional values for the practice of management in Africa? The research findings strongly suggests that the applicability of Western management assumptions in theories and models for motivating African workers from a high power distance and collectivistic societies is doubtful and suspect. The transplantation of Western management theories and models has not met the needs and aspirations of the peoples of Africa. The study suggests that elements of traditional values pose serious challenge to African managers’ ability to adopt traditional and modern practices that can improve the effectiveness of HR in their organizations.

Abstract

Özet: The importance of cultural values for management practice in Africa has become increasingly obvious in recent years as many expectations of African organizations and institutions created and managed along lines of Western management assumptions, textbooks and models have not achieved the expected results of sustainable economic development and growth. In Africa, we have very limited knowledge about its cultural values and the consequences it poses for management practice in African organizations. The research project investigated some African traditional values in Nigerian work organizations. The research question that the study tries to address is: to what extent is the assumptions in Western management theories consistent with the African Traditional values for the practice of management in Africa? The research findings strongly suggests that the applicability of Western management assumptions in theories and models for motivating African workers from a high power distance and collectivistic societies is doubtful and suspect. The transplantation of Western management theories and models has not met the needs and aspirations of the peoples of Africa. The study suggests that elements of traditional values pose serious challenge to African managers’ ability to adopt traditional and modern practices that can improve the effectiveness of HR in their organizations.

References

1. Ahiauzu, A. I. (1985b) “Towards a Diagnostic Approach to Motivating the Nigerian Worker” in Inanga
2. E L (ed.) Managing Nigeria’s Economic System (Heinemann, Ibadan) Chapter 16 pp. 200-2
3. Ahiauzu, A.I. (1988) "Organizational Behavior Theorizing in Africa", Journal of Management
4. Education and Training, Vol.3,No. 2, (December), pp.79-85)/ Akinsiku, O.O. (1981) The Problems of Agro-Based Industries in Nsukka L.G.A. and Suggested
5. Solutions, B.Agric Thesis. University of Nsukka. Behrend, H.(1988) Die Zeit Geht Krumme Wege. Frankfurt Campus.
6. Blunt, P.& M. Jones (1992). Managing organizations in Africa. Berlin & New York: Walter de Gruijter.
7. Boon E,M (2005). Knowledge Systems and Traditional Versus Modern Social Security Systems in Africa:
8. A Case Study of Ghana. In Boon, E.K & Hens, L.(eds). Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Sustainable Development: Relevance for Africa. Delhi, Kamla-Raj Enterprice. Boon, M. (1996). The African Way: The Power of Interactive Leadership, Johannesburg: Zebra Press.

9. Cameron, J. (1975) "Traditional and Western education in Mainland Tanzania: an attempt at synthesis". In: Brown, G.N. & Hiskett M. (eds.): Conflict and Harmony in Education in Tropical
10. Africa. London: Allen & Unwin, 350-362. Dia, M. (1996) Africa’s Management in the 1990’s and Beyond: Reconciling Indigenous and Transplanted Institutions. Washington: The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, The World Bank.
11. Franke R.H., G. Hofstede, and M.H. Bond (1991) Cultural Roots of Economic Performance: A Research
12. Note. In: Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 12, 165-1
13. Gabin, Kponhassia. (1997) Urban Life and Traditional Models: A Study of the Social Networks in a
14. Secondary Town in Côte d’Ivoire-the Example of Agoville. Herzberg F. (1966) Work and Nature of Man. New York: World Publishing.
15. Heszberg, F. (1968) ‘One more time: how do you motivate employees?’ Havard Business Review, January-February, 53-64.
16. Hofstede G. (2011), Dimensionalizing Cultures: The Hofstede Model in Context
17. Hofstede G. (2005) Culture Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviour,
18. Institutions and Nations. CA: Sage. Hofstede, G. 2007. Asian management in the 21st century. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 24: 411–420.
19. Hofstede G. (2001) Culture Consequences (2nd ed,). Thousand Oaksm CA: Sage.
20. Hofstede G. (1991) Cultures and Organizations: Software of the mind. London: McGraw Hill.
21. Hofstede G. and M.H. Bond (1988). `The Confucius connection: ‘From cultural roots to economic growth', In Organization Dynamics, 16, pp.4-21).
22. Hofstede G (1980) Culture's Consequences: International Differences in Work- Relate Values. Newbury Park CA: Sage.
23. Iguisi O. (2014). Cultural Vualues and Motivation in Nigeria Work Settings. . In Umit Hacioglu & Hasan
24. Dincer (eds). Globalization and Governance in the International Political Economy. IGI Publishing. Iguisi O. (2012). Cultural Dynamics in African Management Practice: Leadership, Motivation,
25. Recruitment and Promotion. LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing. Iguisi, O. (2009). Motivation-Related Values across Cultures. International Journal of African Business and Management.
26. Iguisi, O. (2007). Management and Indigenous Knowledge Systems: An Analysis of Motivational
27. Values Across Cultures. In Boon, E.K & Hens, L.(eds). Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Sustainable Development: Relevance for Africa. Kamla-Raj Enterprice. Delhi Iguisi O. (1998). Supporting Entrepreneurship in New Strategic Environment (SENSE): Cultural
28. Perspectives to Entrepreneurial Effectiveness Across Cultures. EU- ADAPT/E-AMARC Research Publications. Iguisi O (1997). The Role of Culture in Appropriate Management and Indigenous
29. Development in Africa. Paper delivered at the African seminar on Culture Dimensions to Appropriate management and Sustainable Development in Africa. UNESCO Publications, Paris Iguisi O (1994). Appropriate Management in an African Culture. In: Journal of Management in Nigeria. Vol., 30 No.1, 16-24.
30. Iguisi O. and Hofstede G (1993). Industrial Management in an African Culture. IRIC University of
31. Limburg Press, Maastricht. Iguisi, O (1993). Cross-Culture Management Survey. Institute for Research on Intercultural Cooperation:
32. University of Limburg, Maastricht-NL. Jackson, T. (2004) Management and Change in Africa: A Cross-cultural Perspective. Routledge, London.
33. Jackson, T. (2005). Hybridisation of people Management Systems: Western MNCs in Africa.
34. Ijere, N.O. (1988b) Management Potential of Self-Help Organizations. Centre for Rural
35. Development and Cooperatives, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria. Jackson, T. (1999) Management of People and Organizations in South Africa and Zimbabwe: A
36. Cross-Cultural Study. Working papers 99/1 Kaseke, E. (1997) Social Security in Eastern and Southern Africa Organizations, Issues and Concept in Modern and Traditional Arrangements. Journal of Social Development in Africa, vol. 121 No. 2, pp. 39-47.
37. Kiggundu, M. (1993) "The Challenge of Management Development in Sub-Saharan Africa". In: Blunt,
38. P et al (eds.) Managing Organizations in Africa. Readings, Cases, and Exercises. Berlin: de Gruyter, 169-186. Lamb, D. (1985) The Africans. Revised edition. New York: Random House.
39. Likert, R. (1961). New Patterns of Management. New York: McGraw Hill,
40. Likert, R. (1967). The Human Organization. New York: McGraw Hill. London.
41. Maslow A. (1960) Motivation and Personality. New York: Harper, 1954.-(ed.) New Knowledge in
42. Human Values. New York: Harper, 1960
43. Mbigi, L. (1997) Ubuntu: The African Dream in Management, Randburg, S. Africa: Knowledge Resources.
44. McClelland, D. (1961) The Achieving Society. Princeton, N.J., Van Nostrand.
45. Nweze, N. J. (1990) The Role of Women’s Traditional Savings and Credit
46. Cooperatives in Small – Farm Development. African Rural Social Science Series, Research Report Number 11. Onyemelukwe, C. C. (1973) Men and Management in Contemporary Africa. Longman, London
47. Oshagbemi, T. (1988) Leadership and Management in Universities: Britain and Nigeria. Berlin: de
48. Ouchi, W. (1981) Theory Z: How American Business can meet the Japanese Challenge. Wesley, Addison.
49. Takyi-Asiedu, S. (1993) ‘Some socio-cultural factors retarding entrepreneurial activity in Sub-Saharan
50. Africa’, Journal of Business Venturing, 8, 91-98. Taylor, F.W (1911) The Principles of Scientific Management. New York: Harper and Row.
51. Tshiyembe, M. (1998) ‘La science politique africaniste et le statut théorique de l’État Africain: un bilan négatif’, Politique Africaine, 71(October)