The Africa Research Group (ARG): 7th International Conference, co-hosted by the University of Kigali School of Business and Management, Rwanda

Conference Theme: Contemporary developments in the management of organizations in Africa: tapping into indigenous knowledge and developing viable partnerships.  More information on dates and submission details here.

 6th ARG International Conference, University of Nottingham 2019

Key dates:

  • First announcement of call for papers: 20 March 2020
  • Amended call for papers: 30 March 2020
  • Deadline for all submissions: 31 January 2021
  • Announcement of results: 15 March 2021
  • Registration deadline: 15 May 2021
  • Announcement of Conference Programme: 30 June 2021
  • Conference dates:  25-27 August 2021

Conference theme: Contemporary developments in the management of organizations in Africa: tapping into indigenous knowledge and developing viable partnerships

Conference overview

In the last decade, there has been an emergent narrative of ‘Africa rising’, which has gone a long way to dispel misleading perceptions of a continent perpetually needing help. A good number of countries in Africa are now leading the world in terms of economic growth rates, and some organizations have been trailblazers for example in mobile telephony and telemedicine. African universities are also making significant contributions to scholarship, and benefitting from collaboration with scholars and institutions in Europe and North America. Associations such as the ARG and the Academy of African Management continue to play a pivotal role in these developments. This conference aims to extend the debate by focusing on how we as researchers can contribute further to the advancement of knowledge by drawing from indigenous knowledge, formulating home-grown solutions and tapping into the knowledge of local practitioners in order to better meet Africa’s challenges. We believe there are many important initiatives taking place in local communities, SMEs, partnerships between the private and public sectors, technology hubs involving technologically-savvy but financially-challenged entrepreneurs, and so forth. This conference will also reflect on some of the emergent threats such as global pandemics that require a rethink in the nature and meaning of work, workplace relations and the very functioning of organizations, especially in fragile economies. Papers may draw from a range of theoretical and methodological perspectives. In summary, we welcome papers that shed new light on but are not limited to:

  • the role of indigenous knowledge and cultural capital, eg ‘ubuntu’
  • culture in the African management debate
  • the ‘African thought system’ and management theory
  • toward contextually relevant HR practices
  • the management of SMEs
  • developing effective private-public partnerships
  • the challenges of managing people and developing managerial expertise
  • business practices in culturally diverse workplaces
  • innovation, entrepreneurialism and knowledge management
  • corporate governance, CSR and business ethics
  • modern management in the public sector
  • globalization and its impact on Africa
  • firm internationalization into African countries
  • pandemic and organization: developing resilience against new threats to work, employment and organization

Organizing Committee

Prof Ken Kamoche, University of Nottingham, ken.kamoche@nottingham.ac.uk
Prof Arthur Ahimbisibwe, University of Kigali, aahimbisibwe@uok.ac.rw
Prof Aloys Ayako, University of Kigali, aayako@uok.ac.rw
Prof Singh Narayan, University of Kigali, snarayan@uok.ac.rw
Dr Sanja Micheal, University of Kigali, msanja@uok.ac.rw
Dr James Wasajja, University of Kigali  jkwasajja@uok.ac.rw
Prof Emmanuel Adegbite, University of Nottingham, Emmanuel.adegbite@nottingham.ac.uk
Prof Musa Mangena, University of Nottingham, musa.mangena@nottingham.ac.uk
Dr Judy Muthuri, University of Nottingham, judy.muthuri@nottingham.ac.uk
Dr Rani Thannacoody, University of Nottingham, rani.thanacoody@nottingham.ac.uk
Dr Nana Kufuor, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, nana.kufuor@nottingham.edu.cn
Dr Saileshsingh Gunessee, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, saileshsingh.gunessee@nottingham.edu.cn
Prof Aminu Mamman, University of Manchester, aminu.mamman@manchester.ac.uk
Prof Abel Kinoti, Riara University, akinoti@riarauniversity.ac.ke
Dr Shem Maingi, Kenyatta University, maingi.shem@ku.ac.ke
Dr Pratima Sambajee, University of Strathclyde, pratima.sambajee@strath.ac.uk
Dr Carla Jones, Sam Houston State University, cdj033@SHSU.edu
Mr Devkumar Callychurn, University of Mauritius, d.callychurn@uom.ac.mu
Associate Prof Dinesh Kumar Hurreeram, University of Mauritius, dk.hurreeram@uom.ac.mu

Accommodation (TBC)
Registration fee (TBC) 

The conference fee will include admission to all academic sessions, conference information pack, coffee breaks and lunches, Welcome Reception on Wednesday 25 August and Conference Dinner on Thursday 26 August.

Submission guidelines
Times New Roman 12pt, single spacing
Full papers no longer than 30 pages; extended abstracts between 2 and 8 pages
No identifying information (author’s names, email addresses, institutions)
Include a separate one-page document with author details
All submissions must be in English
Harvard style referencing
No changes in the paper title, abstract, authorship, etc after the submission deadline

Publication
Previous ARG conferences produced a special issue of the International Journal of Human Resource Management (2012), Personnel Review (2015), and African Journal of Management (in progress), and a book, Effective People Management in Africa, Palgrave Macmillan (2013). We are exploring the opportunity of a special issue.
Submissions procedure – please email your paper as follows:

Submissions from Africa: Dr James Wasajja, jkwasajja@uok.ac.rw
Submissions from Europe and the Americas: Prof Musa Mangena,  musa.mangena@nottingham.ac.uk
Submissions from Asia and the rest of the world: Dr Nana Kufuor, nana.kufuor@nottingham.edu.cn

For all queries, please contact either Prof Ken Kamoche or Prof Arthur Ahimbisibwe

https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/business/businesscentres/africarg/index.aspx