Cultural Confluence in Organizational Change: A Portuguese Venture in Angola (Palgrave Studies in African Leadership)

This book examines the challenges of intercultural management in sub-Saharan Africa. It presents a case study of Vasco Silva, a Portuguese businessman who established a successful business in Luanda, Angola. After four years of growth, Silva encounters a culture shock due to a wild strike by his employees. He embarks on a deep cultural exploration using the Hofstede 6D model and the Toyota-management tool Genchi Genbutsu (go and see for yourself). Gradually, Silva gains an understanding of effective leadership in the Angolan context, unraveling important features of local culture and initiating an organizational change project. This work contributes to the ongoing discourse in African management literature, particularly regarding the integration of modern and contemporary traditional organizational and leadership concepts. It responds to the demand for descriptive accounts of hybrid case studies of confluencing cultures. Scholars of African management philosophy and business leaders can utilize this case study to explore indigenous African notions in a business setting, demonstrating the performative characteristics of local leadership forms and the adaptability required for success in foreign business environments Foreword Acknowledgements Competing Interests Ethical Approval Contents About the Authors List of Figures List of Tables 1 Introduction Help! None of Our Local Employees Came to Work! Our Client Will Kill Us... The Aim of the Book The Content of the Book About the Authors References Part I Setting the Stage 2 Globalization, ‘Best’ Management Practices, and Cultural Awareness Setting Up Business in Far-Away Markets Culture and Soul Searching The Cultural Blind Spot The Global Strategy Company Profiles Flexibility and Information Flow The Ultimate Goal of Silva References 3 Contemporary Tradition and Modernity in Africa Historic Roots of Tradition and Modernity African Management Philosophy Confluence of Narratives Complementary Notions References Part II Cultural Research: Etic and Emic Approaches 4 The Hofstede Model: Understanding a Multicultural Environment Introduction of the Model Advantages and Disadvantages of the Hofstede Model The Hofstede Dimensions of National Culture Power Distance Individualism and Collectivism Masculinity and Femininity Uncertainty Avoidance Long-term and Short-Term Orientation Indulgence and Restraint Understanding the Organizational Dynamics and the Strike References 5 Genchi Genbutsu of the Toyota Way: Finding Local Perspectives An application of the Toyota Way Local Cultural Insights Results Family Society Foreign Corporations Organization Building Blocks References Part III Organizational Change 6 The Process of Organizational Design to Bridge the Culture Gap Finding a Key Rationale and Expectations from Management Selection of Members The First Meeting Naming the Council Mission and Values Activities Reference 7 Reaping the Harvest: The Results of the Transformation Structural Achievements Relationships Individual Leadership and Capabilities A Shared Company Mission Practical Needs Cultural Insights Information Flow and Serving Mutual Interests The Annual Company Ceremony The Humanitarian Activity Succession Evaluation of Internal Stakeholders References Part IV Conclusion 8 Spaces of Cultural Confluence: Performative Elements of Leadership Contemporary Tradition, Modernity, or Confluence? The Soba Council vs. the Works or Union Council African Leadership Western Leadership in Africa Geocentric HR Final Remarks References Epilogue: Navigating the Space of Cultural Confluence Bibliography Index This book uses a narrative approach to examine the challenges of intercultural management in sub-Saharan Africa. It presents a case study of Vasco Silva, a Portuguese businessman who established a successful business in Luanda, Angola, following the 2008 global financial crisis. After six years of rapid growth, Silva encounters a severe culture shock due to a wild strike by his employees. To address this challenge, he embarks on a deep cultural exploration using the Hofstede 6D model and the Toyota-management tool Genchi Genbutsu (go and see for yourself). Through this journey, he gradually gains an understanding of effective leadership in the Angolan context, unraveling important features of the local culture and initiating an organizational change project. This work contributes to the ongoing discourse in African management literature and philosophy, particularly regarding the integration of modern and traditional organizational and leadership concepts. It responds to the demand for descriptive accounts of hybrid case studies of confluencing cultures, especially in business contexts. Scholars of African management philosophy can utilize this case study to explore indigenous African notions and contemporary traditional concepts in a practical setting, demonstrating the performative characteristics of local leadership forms and the adaptability required for success in foreign business environments.