Title:
BUSINESS SCHOOLS, LEADERSHIP AND LEADER DEVELOPMENT IN AN AFRICAN CONTEXT

Authors:
Professor Dr Angelo Nicolaides and Professor Dr Rohith R Ramphal ,South Africa

Abstract:
When an organisation loses its influence and market share, the likely reason is a lack of quality leadership. Leadership makes the difference in the success or failure of an organisation. A change of leadership can turn the tide of malfunction, and replace a state of stagnation with excitement and energy. An effective leader brings about a rejuvenation in the sense of the vision and mission in an organisation. Is it possible for leadership styles that are taught based on western paradigms to be imported and employed inasimilar way transversely between cultures and nations, even on the same continent? Leadership styles undoubtedly have different effects and connotationsinrelation to a student’s cultural environment. It is thus critical to understand that there are indeed cultural nuances around the notion of leadership. This paper asks important questions relating to leadership education as offered by business schools. What is leadership and what are the principles of effective leadership that African business schools should be imparting to their students? Are students being transformed by faculty and in any sense refurbishing their minds? Is university learning being transformed into desirable workplace practices in the public and private sectors? Can leadership be taught at all? Furthermore, to what extent do business schools provide current and future leaders with a needed sense of identity?