Suchergebnisse

While it is impossible to measure with any degree of certainty the
efficiency and effectiveness of a national public administration system,
there is evidence – empirical and impressionistic – to
suggest that in many African countries the situation gives serious cause
for concern. It is argued that African administrators face problems of a
type and a degree of seriousness not experienced by their counterparts
in the wealthy developed nations. These factors should be taken into
consideration when judgements about organisational performance are made.

This book provides a survey and critique of the management of formal organisations in Africa. It includes (1) their environmental, economic, socio-cultural, and political background; (2) a discussion of organisational behaviour and organisation theories which appear relevant to the African situation; (3) a critique of existing performance of African organisations and managers; (4) a comprehensive survey of relevant literature; and (5) suggestions for improving organisational performance and management development practices in Africa. (DÜI-Hff)

This book expands and builds on Organisational Theory and Behaviour: An African Perspective which was first published in 1983. As with its predecessor, our aim has been to write a book which is helpful to anyone who is interested in organisations in Africa and their management and, in particular, in ways of making African organisations more effective and more efficient in what they do. Students of management undertaking postgraduate or undergraduate programmes of study will probably constitute the book's major audience, although we have attempted to write it in a way which will make it appealing and comprehensible to both practising managers and those with little or no work experience. It is clear that the need for books of this type in Africa has increased with the passage of time, as we demonstrate more fully in Chapter 1. For many years, it has been widely accepted that institutional weaknesses in developing countries constitute a major obstacle to development. Resource scarcity is a major factor contributing to this state of affairs, but so also are questions of management and organisation, which are the subject of this book. -- From Preface (page [vii]).

Managers are increasingly seen as having a critically important rôle to play in development and nation-building,1and doubts concerning the appropriateness of transferring western ideas and practices to third-world countries are assuming urgent significance. Questions are posed about the impact of social and cultural factors on the management of organisations, and about relationships, between managerial thinking and behaviour and the national stage of economic growth. For example, A. Gladstone asserts that management is a key determinant in development in Africa's new nations, and notes that there has been little research and analysis concerning the evolving state of the managerial art in Africa, both in terms of what exists and what is needed … while management training for Africans has developed considerably, is this training the most appropriate? To what extent should traditional African management be discarded… are the various modern Western approaches relevant and effective in the setting up of African enterprises?2

Eine Befragung von Managern in Kenia und Malawi zeigt im internationalen Vergleich zum Teil unterschiedliche Bewertungen ihrer Motivation, als Unternehmer tätig zu werden. Während in entwickelten Industriegesellschaften die persönliche Selbstverwirklichung ausnahmslos vor dem Autonomiestreben, dem Sicherheitsdenken und dem sozialen Status rangieren, steht die Sicherheit des Arbeitsplatzes bei den Managern in Afrika an erster Stelle; erst dann folgt auch hier der Wunsch nach Autonomie. Interessant ist, daß der soziale Status in allen Fällen an hinterer Stelle rangiert. Kulturelle Faktoren führen damit nur teilweise zu deutlichen Unterschieden im Verhalten und in der Einschätzung der eigenen Tätigkeit. (DÜI-Hlb)