AFRICA ACADEMY OF MANAGEMENT (AFAM)

The Africa Academy of Management (AFAM) invites submissions for Professional Development Workshops (PDWs) at the 2023 Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Boston, USA.

The workshops will take place on Friday 4th August and Saturday 5th August 2023.

We encourage members of all divisions, interest groups, and theme committees of the Academy to submit PDW proposals that explore African dimensions of management theory and practice that are reflective of this year’s theme ‘Putting the Worker Front and Center.’ We look forward to proposals that advance knowledge and scholarship in the theory and practice of management among African scholars and/or academics interested in management and organization issues in Africa.

Proposals must broaden our understanding of issues relating to what, when, why, how, and where of ‘Putting the Worker Front and Center’ in an African context. Although worker-related issues have been of perennial research interest, developments in the global economy coupled with technological advancements are changing the nature and organization of work. Consequently, how these developments impact workers have never been more urgent. Specifically, answers are needed to such questions as:

• What is organizational familism and how can it be promoted in African contexts?
• What are the implications of technological developments for skill upgrading among African workers?
• How are African organizations utilizing digital platforms to enhance their competitiveness and what are the implications for workers?
• What are the changing contours of employment relationships in African contexts?
• How relevant are labor organizations for worker well-being in an increasingly individualized workplace?
• Why and how does African organizations implementation of International Labor Organization (ILO) labor codes enhance the sustainable management of workers?
• What is the role of organizations in the production and reproduction of poverty among African workers?
• How does culture shape African organizational life and what innovative methodologies can be used to uncover these effects on workers?
• What role does religion play in worker management and how does it shape workers experience of work?
• How is patriarchy manifested in African organizational life? How can African organizations promote an entrepreneurial orientation among their employees? 

This year’s theme provides an excellent opportunity to reinvigorate scholarly engagement with pedagogical issues as well as bridge the practitioner-academic divide in African contexts. PDW proposals that are interdisciplinary and potentially offer a comprehensive understanding of the macro and micro forces that shape African workers’ experience of work and well-being are particularly encouraged. We are particularly seeking interactive, inclusive, and innovative PDW proposals that are aligned with AFAM’s primary objective of enabling the Academy ‘perform and support educational activities that contribute to intellectual and operational leadership in the field management within an African context.’ Though not exhaustive, indicative questions that PDW proposals must aim to address include:

• How and when is patriarchy manifested in African organizational life and what are the implications for workers? 
• How do we contextualize Western-based human resource management to theorise the work experiences of African workers? 
• What is the role of culture in shaping work and family dynamics in Africa?    
• What are the implications of technological advancements for the training and development of African workers? 
• What are the emerging contours of employment relations in African organizations? 
• What are the forces shaping the structure and functioning of African labor organizations? 
• Are there culturally appropriate types of leadership and if so, how can they be fostered?  
• What strategies can governments, organizations, and labor unions adopt to develop the competencies needed to enhance the productivity of African workers? 
• What innovative methodologies can be used to study workers in African contexts? 
• How do African workers experience and manage their careers?  
• How do African workers conceptualize fairness/justice and what innovative methodologies can be used to study it?  

The goals of our PDWs include

• Helping to provide Academy members exposure to scholarship in the African context 
• Assisting Academy members in their research activities to facilitate the inclusion of research and comparative studies on Africa/African diaspora 
• Encouraging and facilitating an understanding of African management practices and cultural perspectives as they apply to management scholarship       

All proposals require a statement indicating that all PDW participants have consented to participate in the PDW. The AOM’s ‘Rule of Three’ for the PDW program is that ‘no one may submit or be associated with more than 3 PDW submissions or appear in more than 3 PDW sessions.’ Proposals that violate these rules may be rejected.  

Acceptance of AFAM PDW proposals will be based on the following criteria: (i) relevance to the AFAM membership; (ii) novelty and creativity; (iii) developmental orientation; (iv) interactive and inclusive, and (v) logical coherence. Although not a requirement, considering our focus on inter-disciplinarity, we welcome proposals of interest to other AOM divisions. Please indicate in the submission document what divisions and interest groups may be suitable as potential co-sponsors. 

The deadline for submissions is Tuesday, 10 January 2023 at 17:00 ET (GMT-5/UTC-5). 

All submissions must be made online via the AOM Submission Center. If you have any questions regarding the AFAM PDW or would like to explore the appropriateness of your proposal, please contact the AFAM PDW Co-chairs, Samuel Aryee or Anastacia Mamabolo at your earliest but preferably no later than Tuesday, 4 January 2023. We look forward to receiving your proposals.