Transforming Organizations in the Digital Era: Dignity, Justice, and Prosperity in Africa
An increasingly complex world characterized by intractable problems with implications for quality of life and ecological sustainability have been labelled societal grand challenges. In an African context, these challenges include eradication of poverty, digital transformation, ecological sustainability, entrepreneurial initiatives, and health promotion among others. The ill-defined nature of these grand challenges not only require interdisciplinary collaborations but also a mix of methodological approaches to understand these challenges. The theme of the AFAM 2026 Biennial conference ‘The Art of Collaboration: Addressing Grand Challenges in Africa Through Research, Education, Practice and Policy Making’ provides a platform for multiple stakeholders to engage in robust discussions across disciplinary boundaries, reflect oncontextualized pedagogical approaches to teaching and learning, and wrestle with how to bridge the academic-practitioner divide to contextualize solutions to Africa’s grand challenges. Reflecting the broader call for relevance in management research, the theme of the conference puts the spotlight on understanding and theorizing management-related phenomena in African contexts to advance global management theory as well as develop contextualized solutions to some of these challenges.
We encourage the submission of empirical and conceptual papers that broadly align with the theme of the conference and address context-specific issues, including but not limited to:
- Inclusive Business Models for Sustainable Development in Africa
- Entrepreneurship and Youth Empowerment: Building Africa’s Future Workforce
- Leadership Philosophies and Indigenous Management Practices
- Digital Innovations and Technology Adoption in African Markets
- Policy Frameworks for Enhancing Regional Trade and Economic Integration
- Climate Resilience and Green Business Practices in African Enterprises
- Ethical Business Practices: Combating Corruption and Strengthening Transparency
- Business Education and Skill Development for Future Industries
- Informal Economies and Their Role in Urban and Rural Development
- Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women Entrepreneurs
- Religion and spirituality in African organizations
- Transforming Healthcare Systems Through Innovation and Collaboration
- Financing Innovation and Addressing Capital Constraints in African Start-ups
- Navigating for Natural Resources and Geopolitics in African Business
- Decolonization and the African University
- Context Specific Methodologies for Africa
How do African organizations conceptualize their environments and the competitive forces that define these environments?
- What strategies are adopted by African organizations to respond to these competitive forces and what are the drivers of these strategies?
- What interorganizational alliances are being forged by African organizations to promote the development of innovative products and services?
- What are the forms of digitalization adopted by African organizations and how are they changing the nature of work organizations?
- Have African organizations embraced corporate entrepreneurship and what are the successful factors?
- What are private-public sector strategies to enhance the competitiveness of African organizations?
- What roles are governments playing in the regulation of employment conditions to minimize the tendency of organizations to reproduce inequalities through their employment practices?
- What new forms of work organizations (e.g cooperatives) have been formed to promote productive activities in rural communities? How are they operated and what are drivers of their effectiveness?
- What role do labor organizations play in protecting the rights of employees as well as their sustainable management?
- What employment practices and work contexts have emerged in African organizations to promote dignity and justice for employees?
- What are the drivers and forms of digitilization in the public sector and how are they impacting on operational effectiveness?
Conference Proceedings:
Proceedings Editor: Dorothy Mpabanga, University of Botswana, Botswana (dorothym366@gmail.com)
Abridged versions of accepted papers may be selected for publication in the Best Paper Proceedings of the Conference. There will be a best paper award for each track. Winners will receive a certificate and the paper will be highlighted in the conference program. Best papers will also be considered for publication in the Africa Journal of Management (AJOM) subject to the journal’s blind review process.
Please check the AJOM website at https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rajm20/current
About The Host Institution:
Established in 1964, Stellenbosch Business School was the first business school from an African university to receive the prestigious Triple Crown of international accreditations, reserved for the top 1% of business schools worldwide. The school focuses on post-graduate education with programmes including PG-Dip, specialist masters, MBA, and PhD. Short courses are provided by an executive development arm of the school. Many programmes include a responsible leadership dimension as part of the school’s commitment to developing responsible leaders for a better world -- a key differentiator of the school’s programmes, research, and social impact activities. There are six research Centres at the school with expertise in Development Finance, Governance, Women and Work, Futures & Foresight, Conflict & Collaboration, and Responsible Leadership. The school also has strong pedigree in entrepreneurship hosting the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor for South Africa and its own Small Business Academy for entrepreneurs in informal settlements across three provinces of the country. Stellenbosch Business School is a member of PRME and a number of alliances of leading business schools including the Council on Business & Society, the EMBA Consortium, and the Global Innovation Challenge.