Exploring the limits of mindfulness during the COVID-19 pandemic: Qualitative Evidence from the African context

Purpose: This paper is one of the first studies to examine specificities, including limits of mindfulness at work in an African organisational context, whilst dealing with the ongoing COVID�19 pandemic. It specifically addresses the role of organisational and managerial support systems in restoring employee wellbeing, social connectedness, and attachment to their organisations, in order to overcome the exclusion caused by the ongoing pandemic. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study uses a qualitative research methodology that includes interviews as the main data source. The sample comprises of 20 entrepreneurs (organisational leaders) from Ghana and Nigeria. Findings: We found that Covid-19-induced worries restricted the practice of mindfulness, and this was prevalent at the peak of the pandemic, particularly due to very tough economic conditions caused by reduction in salaries, and intensified by pre-existing general economic and social insecurities, and institutional voids in Africa. This aspect further resulted in lack of engagement and lack of commitment, which affected overall team performance and restricted employees’ mindfulness at work. Hence, quietness by employees even though can be linked to mindfulness was linked to larger psychological stress that they were facing. We also found leaders/manager’s emotional intelligence, social skills and organisational support systems to be helpful in such circumstances. However, their effectiveness varied among the cases. Originality: Our paper is one of the first studies to establish a link between the Covid-19 pandemic and mindfulness limitations. Moreover, it is a pioneering study specifically highlighting the damaging impact of Covid-19-induced concerns on leader-member exchange (LMX) and team�member exchange (TMX) relationships, particularly in the African context. It further brings in a unique discussion on the mitigating mechanisms of such Covid-19-induced concerns in organisations and highlights the roles of manager's/leader's emotional intelligence, social skills, and supportive intervention patterns. Finally, we offer an in-depth assessment of the effectiveness of organisational interventions and supportive relational systems in restoring social connectedness following a social exclusion caused by Covid-19-induced worries

Assessment of heavy metals in urban highway runoff from Ikorodu expressway Lagos, Nigeria

The distribution of heavy metals in the urban high way run off from Ikorodu expressway of Lagos was studied between March to May, 2004.The heavy metals studied include Pb, Cu, Cr, Zn and Cd. The levels of these selected heavy metals were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (Mscientific 200 Model). Trends in the heavy metal from the runoff showed significant variations between the months were values recorded in the month of April showed high values. Statistical analyses showed different mean levels of these heavy metals assessed at the five collecting points. The distribution shows Zn > Pb > Cu > Cr > Cd. Zn recorded the highest concentration levels between (53.4 ± 35.5 - 107.5 ± 80.4 μg/l), while Cd levels (ND - 6.00 μg/L) were the lowest. However, the results obtained falls within the permissible limits of FMENV effluents limits, FHWA and WHO standards of water for domestic use

Meta-organizations and Environmental Sustainability: An Overview in African Context

This paper offers a conceptual overview of the role of meta-organizations in environmental sustainability in an under-researched context of Africa. The current paper is one of the few studies to offer a specific differentiation concerning meta-organizations concerning environmental sustainability in developed vs. emerging economies' settings. Then the paper further offers an in-depth assessment of meta-organizations’ role in environmental sustainability in Africa, with reference to major hurdles in this concern. Our analysis reveals several problems with business only meta-organizations in Africa, which significantly limit meta-organizations' role in ensuring environmental sustainability in this region. These problems include competing interests resulting in failure to accommodate multiple stakeholders, lack of responsible investing and environmental stewardship, along with institutional voids. Finally, the paper offers several solutions, implications, along with pinpointing specific areas of research related to meta-organizations and sustainability in Africa, that future studies can pursue

The antecedents of leader�member-exchange (LMX) relationships in African context: the influence of the supervisor’s feedback delivery-tactic

Purpose – The current paper aims to analyse the antecedents of leader–member exchange relationships (LMX) by specifically focusing on the influence of the supervisor’s feedback delivery tactic. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses qualitative research methods with primary interviews as the main data source. Primary interviews with 40 managers from top supermarkets in Nigeria, South Africa and the UK were undertaken. Findings – The authors found that both high-quality positive feedback and constructive criticisms produced the same feelings – more positive interpersonal relationships with their supervisors, higher levels of commitment to their organisations, higher job satisfaction and thus, high-quality LMX relationships. Where criticisms were delivered without greater interpersonal treatment, feedback was perceived as negative, and participants revealed lack of job satisfaction, lack of commitment to their organisations, poor interpersonal relationship with their supervisors, high turnover intent and thus low-quality LMX relationship. Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the current paper is one of the first studies to highlight the consequences of different feedback delivery tactics on subsequent LMX quality particularly in African context. The authors specifically develop a process-based model of enhancing high-quality LMX, which shows the role of the supervisor’s feedback delivery tactic in the process. The authors also develop a process-based model that illustrates how negative/unconstructive feedback could result in a low-quality LMX. Finally, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is also one of the first to offer a comparative assessment between African and British (the UK) empirical settings and highlight some interesting dynamics concerning LMX quality and role of supervisor’s feedback delivery tactic

Impression management and leadership in failing or failed business-to-business firms during and post-COVID-19 : Empirical insights from Africa

This paper is one of the pioneering studies to specifically link COVID-19 pandemic with business failures in African B2B firms and the role of leadership and impression management in mitigating business failures. Based on the qualitative data from Ghana and Nigeria, our findings show that although B2B firms in emerging markets are agile and proactive, the COVID-19 pandemic triggered the process of business decline leading to failure in some cases. Particularly, the lack of technological know-how and the absence of online business activities made it difficult for B2B firms to continue operations. Further, we found that case B2B African firms needed a balance of market and non-market strategies to avoid failure caused by the pandemic. Study findings also indicate that despite the challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic presented opportunities to B2B firms in emerging markets. Flexible working and employee management are found to be instrumental in avoiding business failure. Finally, our findings show that, despite the absence of institutional support in African emerging markets, several case B2B firms quickly adopted digital technologies to communicate with partners and manage online business operations.© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Sustainable entrepreneurship development in Oman: A multi-stakeholder qualitative study

Purpose: Even though sustainable entrepreneurship has increasingly received researchers’ attention in recent years, the topic remains rather under-researched in natural resources’ rich Arabian gulf countries such as Oman. Hence, the current paper fills this gap in the literature and is one of the first attempts to assess the state of sustainable entrepreneurship development in Oman from a multi-stakeholder perspective. Design/Methodology/Approach: The current paper uses a qualitative research approach where in-depth semi-structured interviews were undertaken with twelve (12) respondents representing relevant stakeholders of sustainable entrepreneurship development in Oman. Our interviewees included four (4) sustainable entrepreneurs, four (4) policy makers, and four (4) educationists representing entrepreneurial skills development institutes in Oman. Findings: Our findings highlight that despite some positive improvements, several critical challenges remain, which hinder sustainable entrepreneurship development. We further found the role of FinTech to be critical in this concern by all stakeholders, though its usage and acceptance remain low. Also, the costs associated with the post-carbon (sustainable) economy and different profitability evolution have resulted in a slow change in the policy development in this concern. From educational (skills development) perspective, a lack of context specific training programmes and culture-based hesitations appeared to be hindering achieving sustainable entrepreneurship possibilities in Oman. The premature entrepreneurial ecosystem, bureaucracy, and lack of human capital (attaining as well as retention) appeared to be significant challenges for entrepreneurs. Finally, our findings highlighted the need for cross-sector collaboration with clear benchmarks for effective policy development concerning sustainable entrepreneurship in Oman. Originality: The current paper is the first academic study explicitly highlighting the state of sustainable entrepreneurship in Oman by incorporating the development initiatives as well as the major challenges in the analysis. Secondly, our study is also a pioneering work specifying the interlinkage between financing (FinTech), policy initiatives and skills development, and the development of a sustainable entrepreneurship ecosystem in an under-researched context of Oman. Finally, the transition to a sustainable economy is challenging in natural resources’ dependent economies like Oman, as it needs to be supported by the mindset change in the larger society (legitimacy). In this concern, our paper is one of the first academic endeavours to also specify the role of legitimacy from the perspective of different stakeholders (and larger society) for sustainable entrepreneurship development in such contexts

Impression management and leadership in failing or failed business-to-business firms during and post-COVID-19: Empirical insights from Africa

This paper is one of the pioneering studies to specifically link COVID-19 pandemic with business failures in African B2B firms and the role of leadership and impression management in mitigating business failures. Based on the qualitative data from Ghana and Nigeria, our findings show that although B2B firms in emerging markets are agile and proactive, the COVID-19 pandemic triggered the process of business decline leading to failure in some cases. Particularly, the lack of technological know-how and the absence of online business activities made it difficult for B2B firms to continue operations. Further, we found that case B2B African firms needed a balance of market and non-market strategies to avoid failure caused by the pandemic. Study findings also indicate that despite the challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic presented opportunities to B2B firms in emerging markets. Flexible working and employee management are found to be instrumental in avoiding business failure. Finally, our findings show that, despite the absence of institutional support in African emerging markets, several case B2B firms quickly adopted digital technologies to communicate with partners and manage online business operations

The role of Ambidextrous Leadership in developing Team-Level Ambidexterity: Exploring the supporting roles of Reflective Conversations and Ambidextrous HRM.

This study highlights how constructs of importance to management in Africa – ambidextrous leadership and team learning – can extend or modify our existing management theories. Adopting an exploratory design with an interpretive philosophy, this study explores how supermarket store managers engage their subordinates in team learning sessions to enable their collective ambidexterity, facilitated by the presence of reflective conversations (RC) and ambidextrous human resource management (HRM) policies and practices. Based on our raw data, we develop a process-based model that shows how ambidextrous leadership behaviors can help develop team-level ambidexterity, including the supporting roles of RC and ambidextrous HRM practices in the process. This model thus seeks to motivate theoretically future ambidexterity research in Africa, as the theoretical ideas and themes in this study can be replicated and be broadly applied to future ambidexterity research on the continent. This model will, therefore, contribute to the theoretical development of African management literature and, accordingly, adds significant value to the mainstream ambidexterity literature

The role of Ambidextrous Leadership in developing Team-Level Ambidexterity: Exploring the supporting roles of Reflective Conversations and Ambidextrous HRM

Version Accepted author manuscript Abstract This study highlights how constructs of importance to management in Africa – ambidextrous leadership and team learning – can extend or modify our existing management theories. Adopting an exploratory design with an interpretive philosophy, this study explores how supermarket store managers engage their subordinates in team learning sessions to enable their collective ambidexterity, facilitated by the presence of reflective conversations (RC) and ambidextrous human resource management (HRM) policies and practices. Based on our raw data, we develop a process-based model that shows how ambidextrous leadership behaviours can help develop team-level ambidexterity, including the supporting roles of RC and ambidextrous HRM practices in the process. This model thus seeks to motivate theoretically the future ambidexterity research in Africa, as the theoretical ideas and themes in this study can be replicated and be broadly applied to future ambidexterity research in the continent. This model will, therefore, contribute to the theoretical development of the African management literature and, accordingly, adds a significant value to the mainstream ambidexterity literature. </p