Cultural Confluence in Organisational Change

This book uses a narrative approach to examine the challenges of intercultural management in sub-Saharan Africa. It presents a case study of Vasco Silva, a Portuguese businessman who established a successful business in Luanda, Angola, following the 2008 global financial crisis. After six years of rapid growth, Silva encounters a severe culture shock due to a wild strike by his employees. To address this challenge, he embarks on a deep cultural exploration using the Hofstede 6D model and the Toyota-management tool Genchi Genbutsu (go and see for yourself). Through this journey, he gradually gains an understanding of effective leadership in the Angolan context, unraveling important features of the local culture and initiating an organizational change project.This work contributes to the ongoing discourse in African management literature and philosophy, particularly regarding the integration of modern and traditional organizational and leadership concepts. It responds to the demand for descriptive accounts of hybrid case studies of confluencing cultures, especially in business contexts. Scholars of African management philosophy can utilize this case study to explore indigenous African notions and contemporary traditional concepts in a practical setting, demonstrating the performative characteristics of local leadership forms and the adaptability required for success in foreign business environments.