Characteristics of Pre-Colonial African
Date
2011-06-08
Authors
Ramuthivheli, Thembinkosi
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Abstract
The historical research method was used to characterize management in precolonial
Africa.
Secondary data sources provided information on African history and pre-colonial
leaders. Archival data, relying on published accounts obtainable in libraries and on
the World Wide Web were used.
Evidence indicates that management existed in pre-colonial Africa: traditional roles
and functions of pre-colonial chiefs and kings match current business management
activities described in literature.
Characteristics of pre-colonial African leaders were comparable to traits defined as
necessary for current business managers. Biographies of those pre-colonial
African leaders studied also revealed that, as with modern business managers,
describing uniform leadership traits common to all successful leaders is difficult.
Successful pre-colonial African leaders, like business leaders today, were found to
be individuals who did not share a homogenous set of defining characteristics and
leadership styles
Description
MBA - WBS
Keywords
Management, African