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Managing human resources in Africa: Strategic, organizational and epistemological issues

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  • Kamoche, Ken

Abstract

In an attempt to re-evaluate human resource management in Africa, this paper takes a critical look at the problematic status of organization theory and strategic management. The antecedents of organization theory and the shortcomings of extant strategy analysis are examined within the historical context of organization science in Africa. We identify the effects of the epistemological problem that exists in the conception of organizational context and the adoption of "foreign" practices. While acknowledging the value of the predominant "external environment" paradigm, this paper advocates a more appropriate "evolutionary" paradigm which draws from resource-capability approaches and the concept of internal resource heterogeneity. This facilitates closer attention to the potential strategic value of internally held human resources and related sources of organizational diversity in the African context. Two case studies are offered to illustrate the arguments.

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  • Kamoche, Ken, 1997. "Managing human resources in Africa: Strategic, organizational and epistemological issues," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 6(5), pages 537-558, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:iburev:v:6:y:1997:i:5:p:537-558
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    Cited by:

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    2. Souleymane Kaboré & Michel Gervais, 2006. "Quels systèmes d'animation pour l'entreprise burkinabé ?," Post-Print halshs-00558052, HAL.
    3. Xing, Yijun & Liu, Yipeng & Tarba, Shlomo Yedidia & Cooper, Cary L., 2016. "Intercultural influences on managing African employees of Chinese firms in Africa: Chinese managers’ HRM practices," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 28-41.
    4. Tatli, Ahu & Vassilopoulou, Joana & Özbilgin, Mustafa, 2013. "An unrequited affinity between talent shortages and untapped female potential: The relevance of gender quotas for talent management in high growth potential economies of the Asia Pacific region," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(3), pages 539-553.
    5. Enyonam Canice Kudonoo & Victoria Tsedzah, 2015. "Human Capital Management: Taking Human Resources Management to the Next Level in Anglophone, West Africa," International Journal of Management Science and Business Administration, Inovatus Services Ltd., vol. 1(6), pages 19-30, May.
    6. Gonzalo Molina-Sieiro & Katia M. Galdino & R. Michael Holmes, 2023. "Ownership types, institutions, and the internationalization of emerging economy new ventures: evidence from Africa," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 60(3), pages 1121-1145, March.
    7. Ken Kamoche & Geoffrey Wood, 2023. "International business and Africa: Theoretical and applied challenges, and future directions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 54(5), pages 956-967, July.
    8. Miguel Pina e Cunha & Armanda Fortes & Filipa Rodrigues & Armenio Rego, 2015. "Leadership paradoxes in Angolan organizations: Emic paradoxes, etic paradoxes, and paradox work," NOVAFRICA Working Paper Series wp1501, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Nova School of Business and Economics, NOVAFRICA.

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