Still the Dark Continent? Towards contextual methodological approaches to management development research in foreign multinational firms in Africa

Oppong, Nana Yaw

doi:10.1177/1470595817706384

Cited by 15 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…It is argued that interviews are appropriate tools for the collection of data in the Ghanaian setting. Oppong (2017, p. 3) explained that interviews are culturally sensitive and that Ghanaians and, for that matter, many Africans are “more willing to provide information through oral narration, traditional way of imparting and sharing knowledge, than having to answer structured questions that include writing and experimentation”. Eight subsidiaries in the manufacturing, service and extractive sectors were selected for this study because these areas of the economy account largely for the foreign direct investment in Ghana (Sutton and Kpentey, 2012).…”

Section: Methods Of Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Qualitative research: deductive and inductive approaches to data analysis

Azungah

2018

QRJ

604

330

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explain the rationale for choosing the qualitative approach to research human resources practices, namely, recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management, rewards management, employee communication and participation, diversity management and work and life balance using deductive and inductive approaches to analyse data. The paper adopts an emic perspective that favours the study of transfer of human resource management practices from the point of view of employees and host country managers in subsidiaries of western multinational enterprises in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach Despite the numerous examples of qualitative methods of data generation, little is known particularly to the novice researcher about how to analyse qualitative data. This paper develops a model to explain in a systematic manner how to methodically analyse qualitative data using both deductive and inductive approaches. Findings The deductive and inductive approaches provide a comprehensive approach in analysing qualitative data. The process involves immersing oneself in the data reading and digesting in order to make sense of the whole set of data and to understand what is going on. Originality/value This paper fills a serious gap in qualitative data analysis which is deemed complex and challenging with limited attention in the methodological literature particularly in a developing country context, Ghana.

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Section: Methods Of Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Qualitative research: deductive and inductive approaches to data analysis

Azungah

2018

QRJ

604

330

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“…This option is proposed on the premise that to achieve effective HRM in overseas subsidiaries requires both revision of the home-country practices and analysis of the host-country socio-cultural factors for a blend as the firm cannot work in a close paradigm. A similar recommendation was made by Oppong (2017b) that management development in Africa applying locallyrelevant knowledge and methods should not be substituted for dominant Western knowledge and learning approach, but the development programme should blend the two paradigms. Therefore, the tension generated by the dilemma could be defused when a synergy is built between the dominant factors and the contextual factors (Oppong, 2017b).…”

Section: 32mentioning

confidence: 97%

Human resource management transfer challenges within multinational firms

Oppong

2018

MRR

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Purpose The paper aims to trace the challenges that multinational companies (MNCs) face as they grow out of their national borders into foreign countries and how they attempt to transfer human resource management (HRM) policies and practices across their subsidiaries for a best-fit HRM model. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses the dilemma theory (involving two opposing values which doing one without the other creates a disadvantage but both cannot be done together) as the main analytical tool and reviews scholarly literature on MNCs’ HRM transfers for the assessment of the transfer challenges. Findings It is found that MNCs face a dilemma as to how to find best-fit between home-country HRM requirements and host-country demands. In the face of this dilemma, MNCs attempt to build synergy between home-country requirements and host-country demands for a best-fit HRM that is beneficial to both the parent company and their foreign subsidiaries. Despite the best-fit HRM practices to diffuse the tension, parent company has greater influence in the final synergy product which is the trade-off between home-country HRM label and host-country contextual demands, thereby advancing the dominant HRM option of the dilemma. Practical implications MNCs should be aware of the possible challenges as they internationalise and should equally be aware that though they may build a synergy (a blend of workable headquarters and subsidiary HRM), the final product will continue to favour headquarters’ HRM policies and practices. Originality/value The paper generates theoretical implications into the issues and challenges that arise with HRM transfers within multinational firms by examining how the dilemma theory sheds light on the transfer process and challenges from the dominant-contextual tension till the fight for best-fit HRM. It also contributes to the development of cycle of cross-border HRM dilemma, cross-border HRM transfer framework and Synergy-Dominant theory.

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“…In order to develop a good understanding of HRM practices in Africa and precisely Ghana, the complexities within the geopolitical dynamics and its embeddedness with formal and informal institutional settings, which offers Africa a unique context distinct from other contexts in the world need to be recognized (Amankwah-Amoah, 2016; Harvey, 2002; Oppong, 2017). Geopolitical dynamics denotes the political polarization characterizing all aspects of economic and social activities entrenched in some cultural values and belief systems (Ayentimi et al, 2016).…”

Section: The Social Institutionalist Perspectivementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Africa and specifically, Ghana represents a unique context in which to understand the adaptation of HRM practices within a developing country’s context due to the institutional and cultural distance between less-developed countries and advanced economies (see Ayentimi et al, 2016; Kostova, 1997; Kogut and Singh, 1988). Developing countries are largely characterized by weak institutional and economic systems, skilled shortages and limited investment in education and technology (Oppong, 2017). This aspect underlines the importance of advancing the field of HRM within the context of developing countries in sub-Sahara Africa in the conceptualization of HRM theory and practice (see Oppong, 2017).…”

Section: The Social Institutionalist Perspectivementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Developing countries are largely characterized by weak institutional and economic systems, skilled shortages and limited investment in education and technology (Oppong, 2017). This aspect underlines the importance of advancing the field of HRM within the context of developing countries in sub-Sahara Africa in the conceptualization of HRM theory and practice (see Oppong, 2017).…”

Section: The Social Institutionalist Perspectivementioning

confidence: 99%

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HRM development in post-colonial societies

Ayentimi¹,

Burgess

Brown

2018

Int'l Jnl of Cross Cultural Management

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This article is based on a literature review that integrates history, institutions and culture to address the following research questions. First, how did human resource management (HRM) progress during post-colonial Ghana? Second, what factors are likely to undermine the advancement of HRM practices in Ghana? Finally, what are the implications for HRM practice and theory? This article identified several factors originating from the economic and socio-cultural system as driving forces underpinning the advancement of HRM practices in Ghana. Key issues are (i) Ghanaian cultural beliefs and assumptions; (ii) respect for social status, power and authority; (iii) the involvement of religious institutions in business activities; (iv) the dominance of small and medium scale enterprises in the local economy (informal sector); (v) education, skills development and training mismatch; and (vi) lack of HRM professionalization and regulatory body. This article argues the assimilation of history, institutions and culture connects comparative HRM practices and post-colonial studies to establish a detailed understanding of persistent colonial institutional inheritance (legacies) of HRM practices as against HRM practices that signify the effects of Ghanaian contextual distinctiveness. We conclude that the best practice is building a synergy of foreign HRM practices alien to Ghana and the culture-sensitive Ghanaian version that produces the best-fit HRM practices for Ghana.

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Still the Dark Continent? Towards contextual methodological approaches to management development research in foreign multinational firms in Africa

Cited by 15 publications

References 39 publications

Qualitative research: deductive and inductive approaches to data analysis

Qualitative research: deductive and inductive approaches to data analysis

Human resource management transfer challenges within multinational firms

HRM development in post-colonial societies

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