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Titilayo Seriki has developed a new theoretical approach to explain the success of teams operating within the complex societal context of sub-Saharan Africa. While prior literature often suggests that organisational and national contexts are highly significant to team process and outcomes, these factors are seldom specified and their possible influence seldom studied. The cross-level character of this research framework (analysis of interrelationships between societal, organisational, and team levels) is a novel and necessary contribution to the research on teamwork and project management. The author focuses on sub-Saharan Africa as a region of increasing economic importance. International organisations consider Africa as a market for expansion due especially to its wealth of natural resources as well as its immense growth opp- tunities. A deeper knowledge of the cultural and institutional environments is needed to design appropriate business strategies and internal processes within the organi- tion. Based on existing literature, Dr. Seriki logically hypothesises chains of influence from the societal context to the innovation team, via the organisation as a mediator. The identification of common societal forces across sub-Saharan Africa and the analysis of consequences for organisations and teams provide a valuable contri- tion to the management literature, especially given the recent interest in the region by countries such as China.
List of contents
and Overview.- and Overview.- Theory.- Theoretical Background.- Team-Level Innovative Performance in Sub-Saharan Africa.- Empirical Research.- The Empirical Research Approach.- Case Studies.- Interpretive Cross-Case Analysis.- Exploring Possibilities.- Comparing African and European Cases.- Implications and Limitations.
About the author
Dr. Hannah Titilayo Seriki promovierte bei Prof. Dr. Martin Högl am Lehrstuhl für Führung und Personalmanagement der WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, Vallendar. Sie ist als freie Unternehmensberaterin und Dozentin zum Thema „Internationales Personalmanagement“ tätig.
Summary
Innovation is an essential success factor needed to ensure and extend the competitiveness of organisations. The quality of teamwork plays an important role as it determines the success of innovation teams.
Whereas most insights concerning the dynamics of work groups come from North American or Western European environments, Hannah Titilayo Seriki concentrates on teams operating within the complex societal context of sub-Saharan Africa. The author develops a multi-level theory of African teams’ innovative performance and regards the team as a sub-system of the organisation, which is subjected to societal influences. She compares the insights gained from case studies in Nigeria and in South Africa with findings from two Germanic European cases. The results of her study imply that managers can actively and consciously influence the way their organisations pass on societal forces to their sub-units. Distinct differences between European and African cases are found, especially in the areas of team leadership and motivation.
