Air Afrique: the demise of a continental icon

Abstract

Although the rationale for multi-flag airlines' formation is rooted in contemporary strategic thinking, our understanding of their emergence and subsequent mass disappearances in the twentieth century remains an elusive issue. This article seeks to fill this void by examining the emergence, ascendency and demise of Air Afrique, an airline once seen as a symbol of regional integration in Africa. This examination takes a historical perspective and covers the period from 1961 to 2002. On the basis of this historical analysis, five distinct stages have been identified reflecting the firm's glorious days, precipitous decline and subsequent collapse. These are: the golden age; Africanisation; escalating indecision, escalating commitment and dissolution phases. Each phase provides insights into the deterministic and voluntaristic perspectives of organisational failure. The implications of the findings of this research for theory and practice are discussed.

Cultivating greater self‐confidence in African management research

“…A number of factors accounted for the slow adoption of strategic management principles in modern organizations. First, the protection offered by the state in many industries such as aviation, water, gas, and electricity prior to the 1980s’ economic recovery program popularly known as the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) created conditions where there was little or no incentive for firms to seek to improve their human capital and strategic management skills (Amankwah‐Amoah & Debrah, ). Markets were carved out for state‐owned enterprises.…”

“…For many indigenous firms, the influx of many eastern multinationals in the late 20th century and early 21st century backed by financial muscle has gradually eroded their traditional sources of sustained competitive advantage and therefore triggered new strategic responses (Akorsu & Cooke, ; Cooke, ). Accompanying these new sources of competition has been a change in the competitive dynamics, with some firms being forced to reduce their reliance on the state for protection from competition to seek new resources and capabilities to compete for and defend their competitive advantage (Amankwah‐Amoah & Debrah, , ).…”

“…Here, some recent studies have explored the role of private firms in poverty alleviation efforts, scaling‐up solar technologies, and combating environmental pollution across the continent. A line of inquiry has focused mainly on business failures in the African context, highlighting issues such as why companies fail, how business failure occurs, and what entrepreneurs and companies can learn from other business failures (Amankwah‐Amoah, ; Amankwah‐Amoah, Boso, & Antwi‐Agyei ; Amankwah‐Amoah & Debrah, , ). In these areas, studies have employed large organizations such as Air Afrique, Ghana Airways, and Nigeria Airways to shed light on business failures (Amankwah‐Amoah, ).…”

“…In these areas, studies have employed large organizations such as Air Afrique, Ghana Airways, and Nigeria Airways to shed light on business failures (Amankwah‐Amoah, ). In a broader sense, however, business failures in this context have been attributed to external factors such as competition and liberalization, and internal factors such as inferior resources, lack of skilled personnel, and lack of business strategy, which operate in combination to precipitate large business failure (Amankwah‐Amoah & Debrah, , ). On small businesses, studies have employed the experience of serial entrepreneurs to demonstrate how failure can shape the dynamics of successive entrepreneurial engagement (e.g., Amankwah‐Amoah, Boso, & Antwi‐Agyei, 2016).…”

Ebola and Global Airline Business: An Integrated Framework of Companies’ Responses to Adverse Environmental Shock

“…During the course of the twentieth century, Africa's major attempt to liberalize the industry was at the Yamoussoukro Convention on Market Access for Air Transport in Africa in 1988 (Amankwah‐Amoah, ). The Yamoussoukro Declaration (YD) that emerged outlines steps toward the easing of restrictions inhibiting intra‐African connectivity and served as a catalyst for further development (Amankwah‐Amoah & Debrah, , , ). The early years of the twenty‐first century witnessed a number of initiatives by governments to speed up its implementation.…”