HR Pulse

Henley Adapts Education to Africa

Although the MBA business education programme evolved from the US, management models are being adapted across continents to meet the cultures and business methods of countries.

Prof Howard Thomas, dean at Lee Kong Chian School of Business in Singapore, said on a recent visit to Henley Business School Africa, that MBA courses developed in Europe or North America are not necessarily suitable for continents such as Africa and Asia.

“Within Africa itself, management models differ from country to country. In the midst of a global educational revolution, Africa has enormous potential for educational growth, but there is a requirement for business education models to be adapted to Africa’s needs,” he said.

Prof Thomas recently completed work in adapting sections of the MBA curriculum to a number of countries in Asia including Singapore, aligning the programme with each country’s needs. “There is no Asian model that suits all Asian countries. Similarly for Africa. The Asian business model, for example, is more regulation-based and less confrontational than the US.”

“As a result, it is not practical to have a single management educational system across all continents. Countries have their own traditions and it is therefore a mistake to force the Western business educational model on a continent such as Africa.” “It would be a mistake to say that Africa has the same characteristics of a management education system in Asia, Europe or the US.”

Following his investigation and recommendations for the Asian models, Prof Thomas will be visiting key African countries to ascertain their business cultures in the same way he created the Asian models and will submit recommendations for business schools to adapt their MBA management models to Africa. “Henley Africa is making great strides in providing business education syllabi adapted to the African context. The research to be done will contribute to taking Henley to the next level. Henley already provides a business education model adapted to the African context,” said Jon Foster-Pedley, dean of Henley Business School Africa. “We don't know what the new Africa will look like, but it will certainly be bigger, wealthier, more urban, more educated, more confident, more international and more significant,” he said.

Africa’s collective GDP is roughly equal to Brazil or Russia at $1.6 trillion and its combined consumer spending is about $1 trillion, says the World Bank. By 2050, Africa is expected to produce a greater GDP than the US and Eurozone combined. Total African mobile connections and the penetration rate have increased from less than 100 million and 2% respectively in 2000 to a forecast 900 million mobile connections and 85% penetration by the end of this year.

“After years of dominance by American and European business schools, new schools are being hatched in Africa, reigniting innovation in the sector. Business schools like Henley are meeting the demands of businesses and the public sector in ways unmatched by the traditional business schools in developed economies. In the process we are helping to redefine the boundaries, methods and even purpose of business schools in Africa.”

“Perhaps the best example of this phenomenon is that Henley Business School Africa is increasingly being recognised as a leading business school internationally, made, grown and strengthened in Africa. It receives judicious support from the international network of Henley Business School UK, supported by its parent, the entrepreneurial and internationally seasoned University of Reading, UK.”