A Cultural Perspective of Africa

This chapter defines culture in the African context. In Africa, religion, spirituality, and ancestry are important parts of the cultural environment, therefore its impact on leadership in Africa is discussed. Theories and related dimensions of culture, proposed by Hofstede and the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) research team, are briefly reviewed. The role of leadership and the findings of the Leadership in Africa and the African Diaspora (LEAD) project, as they relate to African culture, are then introduced. Finally, cultural differences between African culture and Western culture and its impact on leadership are discussed.