Political Influences on Management Training in Africa
Abstract
AbstractsPolitical Influences on Management Training in Africa SAGE Publications, Inc.1989DOI: 10.1177/135050768902000306 Wyn Reilly Management development and training in Afnca, south of the Sahara, since the 1960s has been less effectne than expected. Several possible explanations for this disappointing performance have been well documented While accepting these as important, this article suggests that other influences of a political nature may be more significant. Four issues have been selected First, the lack of any truly indigenous bureaucratic system capable of meeting the demands of the 1990s leads to over dependence on nappropnate alien concepts and practices of management Second, it is not n the nterests of the ruling 61ites to encourage management development and training likely to enable their subordinates to challenge their positions of authonty Third, management traners n Afnca lack the necessary incentives and rewards Fourth, while foreign technical assistance has made a positive contnbution, too much is of poor quality, creates further dependency and discourages local initiative The article offers no prescriptions but does suggest that more attention be given to the political influences on management development and training There is an urgent need for frank diagnoses of highly sensitive problems This can only be done by