Matete Lerutla, Renier Steyn

Abstract

Background: Despite the growing interest in understanding leadership within the African context, the concept remains inadequately defined and Western discourse continues to dominate the global leadership narrative.
Purpose and motivation: This article aims to provide a comprehensive conceptualisation of African business leadership and its effectiveness, and to offer a nuanced understanding of indigenous leadership qualities.
Methodology: Grounded in social constructionist and interpretivist paradigms, this paper synthesizes findings from four sequentially conducted studies. A narrative analysis of these studies was used to integrate their outcomes.
Findings: The integrated studies reveal a multidimensional and unique blend of traits that make up African leadership. Positive attributes like humanity, hope, and entrepreneurship coexist with challenges such as developmental needs and corruption issues. Despite these challenges, the effectiveness of African leadership remains comparable to that of Western approaches.
Discussion: Integrating different studies provided a nuanced understanding of African business leadership, embedded in both quantitative results and qualitative findings. Western and African leadership styles coexist and are equally effective within the African context.
Contribution: The integration of studies allowed for a balanced understanding of cultural heritage in the conceptualisation of leadership. African business leadership, even though it does not mirror Western ideals, is effective within its context