Chinese Organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa

Terence Jackson is Emeritus Professor of Cross-Cultural Management,Middlesex University Business School, London, UK, and a visiting professorin the Department of Management, Rhodes University, Grahamstown,South Africa.Lynette Louw, appointed in the Raymond Ackerman Chair of Management,Department of Management, is the Deputy Dean, Faculty of Commerce atRhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.Dev K. (Roshan) Boojihawon is Associate Professor of Strategy at Universityof Birmingham, Business School, Department of Strategy and InternationalBusiness.

• PART IThe context 1 1 Current research on Chinese organizations in Africa:what do we know, and what do we need to do? 3TERENCE JACKSONInternational management research on China in Africain its geopolitical context 5The nature of Chinese organizations in Africa 8Chinese engagement with African communities 12What do we still need to know about China’sengagement at the organizational level? 16Understanding the theoretical implications forinternational management studies 17Appropriate research methodologies 17From motivation to action 18Chinese firms and their contribution to Africa’sdevelopment 19References 19 2 Why is the Chinese presence in Africa importantto management scholars? 23LYNETTE LOUWMotives of Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI)in Africa 26Contentsviii ContentsCritical development theories: relevance for internationaland cross-cultural management studies 29Cultural synergy and divergence: implications formanagement scholars 33Factors influencing the transfer of technology andknowledge: implications for management practices 35Influence of Chinese and African cultural philosophiesand practices on Chinese HRM practices 40Summary 43References 46 3 Potential symbiotic Sino-African relations andpolicymaking: underexplored, under-researchedor clearly misunderstood? 53ELLIS L.C. OSABUTEY, ROBERT E. HINSON AND OGECHI ADEOLAExisting scholarly work on Sino-African relations 55China–Africa trade and investment policy review 56Technological and innovative capacity building throughFDI 58Chinese investments in Africa and the potentialsymbiotic benefits 60Emerging literature and a new research framework 63Conclusion 67Acknowledgement 69References 69 4 International human resource management strategiesof Chinese firms in Africa 74CHENGCHENG MIAOChinese FDI 75The strategic motives of Chinese FDI 75The characteristics of Chinese FDI in Africa 78Types of firm ownership 79Voices about Chinese FDI in Africa 81The impacts of traditional culture on HRM in Chinaand Africa 84IHRM strategies of Chinese companies 85International staffing approach 86Chinese expatriates in subsidiaries 88Managing Chinese expatriates in Africa 90Contents ixTowards a conceptual framework of Chineseexpatriation in Africa 93Research opportunities 94References 96 5 Towards intercultural effectiveness in Sino-Africanorganisations: exploring synergies and differencesin communication culture 103FUNGAI CHIGWENDEREChina in Africa: the situation and the challenges 104A multi-view conceptual framework 105Exploring synergies and differences in Western, Africanand Chinese communication culture 108Values and guiding philosophies (1): comparisonand implications for communication 111Self-perceptions (2): comparison and implicationsfor communication 117Nature of communication (3): comparison andimplications for communication 117Degree of interaction (4): comparison and implicationsfor communication 118Objective of communication (5): comparison andimplications for communication 119Process and style of communication (6): comparisonand implications for communication 120Implications for management and theorydevelopment 120Conclusion 121References 122 PART IICountries and themes 129 6 Cross-cultural communication and knowledge transferin China–Africa joint ventures: anglophone versusfrancophone experiences 131ABDOULKADRE ADOBackground: anglophone vs. francophone Africa 133What we were looking for in this research 136How we conducted the research 137x ContentsWhat we found in our research 138Chinese people working in Africa 138Understanding Sino-Africa communication 139Study highlights 143Poor language as a significant obstacle to knowledgetransfer 143Anglophones like teaching English, francophones likelearning Mandarin 144Towards hybrid languages in Sino-African joint ventures:Chinglish and Frenchnese 146Conclusion 148References 149 7 Chinese organisations and management in Zimbabwe:an analysis of press representation 152ZINDIYE STANISLOUSIntroduction 152Chinese relations with Zimbabwe 152Chinese firms and the local community 154The impact of the Chinese on the local job market 156Chinese organisations and the management ofZimbabwe staff 157General issues, problems, positives and negatives 158The positives 158The negatives 160Conclusion 162References 163 8 South African employees’ commitment to a Chineseorganisation 166STEVEN PATERSON AND LYNETTE LOUWConcept of organisational commitment used in thisstudy 166Factors influencing organisational commitment 167Open communication 168Leadership 168Supervisory support 168Job security 168Opportunities for training and development 169Compensation 169Promotional opportunities 169Contents xiWhat we were looking for in our research 169How we conducted this research 170What we found from our research 171Open communication 171Leadership 172Supervisory support 172Opportunities for training and development 173Compensation 173Job security 174Promotional opportunities 174Recognition (new factor) 175Trust (new factor) 175Levels of organisational commitment 176Conclusions and Implications 176References 179 9 The influence of organisational culture on ahigh-commitment work system: the case of aChinese multinational corporation in South Africa 184LINDA MABUZA AND MATTHEUS J. LOUWOrganisational culture and HCWS in a ChineseMNC 184A narrative of organisational culture 185HCWS and employee commitment 186What we wanted to achieve in our research 186How we conducted this research 187Our findings from the research 187Organisational culture of the MNC (Objective 1) 188The nature of the Chinese MNC’s HCWS(Objective 2) 193Discussion and conclusions relating to our findings onculture and HCWS 196Managerial implications and recommendations 199Limitations and further research 200References 201 10 Experiences of Chinese and Tanzanian cooperationin a Chinese organisation in Tanzania 204CLAUDE-HÉLÈNE MAYER AND CHRISTIAN MARTIN BONESSContextual insights 204Managing Chinese organisations in African contexts 205xii ContentsHow we did the research 206How we analysed and interpreted our data 209What we found from our research 210Experiences of Chinese and Tanzanian employeeswithin the organisation 210Strategy 211Structure, decision-making and participation 211Leadership styles 212Staff and managers 213Recruitment 214Qualifications and training 215Knowledge sharing 216Working conditions and atmosphere 216Motivation, benefits and rewards 217Conclusion on the experiences of Chinese and Tanzanianemployees within the organisation 218Chinese and Tanzanian employees’ perceptions of theirsocietal and organisational work environment 219Interaction with community and local organisations 219Interaction with government and trade unions 220Benefits for Africa and Tanzania 221Conclusion on the Chinese and Tanzanian views on thesocietal and organisational work environment 221Chinese and Tanzanian views on culture 222Chinese views on Chinese and African values 222Tanzanian views on Tanzanian and Chinese values 223Conclusions on the Chinese and Tanzanian views oncultural values 224Chinese and Tanzanian ideas of futurecollaboration 224Summary of Chinese and Tanzanian ideas towardsfuture collaboration 226Reflections on our findings 227Concluding remarks and recommendations 229Acknowledgements 230References 230 11 Chinese firms in Uganda: the important role of themediator 234CHARLES MBALYOHEREWhat we were looking for in this study 235How we conducted this research 236Contents xiiiWhat we found from our research 237The mediator role 237Mediation between Chinese managers and Africanemployees 240Mediation between Chinese managers and the hostingcommunities 242Mediation between Chinese managers and regulatoryinstitutions 244Mediation between Chinese managers and clients/marketstakeholders 244Integrated perspectives about the mediatory role 245Suggestions to enhance the mediatory role 246Conclusions 247Limitations of the study and implications for futureresearch 248References 248 PART IIIImplications 253 12 How can we help to develop Chinese and Africanmanagers? Building synergies through hybridpractice-based management partnerships 255DEV K. (ROSHAN) BOOJIHAWONThe failings of management education in Africa 257Refusing to play the game: The case for a hybridpractice-based approach for African management 259Tapping into Chinese management approaches 261Modelling hybridization for Africa: a China–Africahybrid practice-based management development(CAHPMD) framework 264Implications for African management education andresearch 267Conclusion 269References 269Index 275

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