Autochthonous management knowledge/knowledge management in Africa

Abstract

Purpose

There is a growing desire for more scientific and technical knowledge regarding Africa. This is because Africa has the potential and opportunity to generate impactful research. However, this potential is not optimized because of several constraints, including the lack of systematic reviews and models of knowledge management and paradoxical trends in Africa. The purpose of this paper is to review studies on knowledge management and associated paradoxes in Africa and a paradox-conscious African knowledge management model. The autochthonous African model that the authors propose has implications for global knowledge management.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors review studies on knowledge management and paradoxes on Africa.

Findings

The authors propose a model and identify 12 paradoxes broadly categorized as industrial, political and social.

Practical implications

The paradoxical tensions characteristic of Africa may be considered integral to business and policy rather than local expressions to be solved through international “best practice.”

Originality/value

The model this paper propose enables theoretical and empirical studies of knowledge management sensitive to the paradoxical tensions associated with autochthonous management knowledge and autochthonous knowledge management.

Citation

Zoogah, D.B., Gomes, E. and Cunha, M.P. (2020), "Autochthonous management knowledge/knowledge management in Africa", Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 24 No. 6, pp. 1493-1512. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-10-2019-0554