African Business Leadership and Effectiveness: Perspectives from South African Leaders

Leadership is often framed within Western paradigms, with limited focus on African business leadership. This study, part of a broader research project, aims to conceptualise African business leadership and its effectiveness, providing an integrated understanding from various perspectives. This article examines South African leaders’ views on African business leadership and its impact. Using an interpretivist approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior leaders from different racial groups in South Africa. The data were analysed through grounded theory, with a three-step coding process to identify themes relevant to African business leadership, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. This study found that African leadership is characterised by entrepreneurial spirit, agility, and the value of ‘Ubuntu’, in contrast to the structured and regulated nature of Western leadership. Culture’s role in leadership effectiveness was debated, with some attributing success to personal traits. Corruption and poverty were identified as significant barriers. The research underscores the influence of culture on leadership styles, revealing diverse opinions on the effectiveness of African leadership in business. These findings highlight the importance of considering cultural factors, corruption, and poverty when evaluating leadership effectiveness in African contexts.