What role does culture play in the Nigerian management environment?

We often hear of how Chinese culture influences Chinese management, German culture influencing German management. There is a Scandinavian approach to doing business in Scandinavia, an American approach to management. The reason we hear about these cultural influences is because they are extensively researched and documented. 

Increasingly, proponents advocate for management theories that are in line with African culture in Africa. But then, what is African culture and is it possible to contribute to understanding management and leadership? Given the cultural heterogeneity of cultures in Africa, how best can we analyse country-level forms of management and distinguish them from the other?

The Global Leadership and Organizational Behaviour Effectiveness (GLOBE) project seeks to contribute to the understanding of management and leadership at the country level. You can read more about the GLOBE project here.

We are proud to be the country investigators for Nigeria and this is in line with the belief that organizations, private and public sector operate within socio-cultural, institutional and environmental contexts, which influence their management styles, perspectives and effectiveness. Addressing organizations from a Western management or organizational perspective alone actually does a disservice where Nigerian management and organizational perspectives may be understood, analysed and interrogated to contribute to the body of knowledge within global management and organizational studies.

Why is this research timely? The research is timely because there is a gradual but steadily increasing appreciation for the role culture plays in the Nigerian environment, for both private and public sectors. It is also a time to be relevant and contribute to new perspectives and shape management and organizational practice in Nigeria.

To what extent are we able to identify uniquely Nigerian approaches to management?

We hope that the finding from the study advance management and organizational studies and practice in Nigeria.

So please join us and complete the survey in the link, it is open to middle managers across Nigeria – http://sfulsg.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eQZH0hk2MthWuEd

Please complete and also spread the word with your colleagues, friends and network.

Thank you in advance.

Dr Adun Okupe, The Sahara Centre, Country Investigator

Dr Ifedapo Adeleye, Georgetown University, Country Investigator

Dr Yetunde Anibaba, Lagos Business School, Country Investigato