By Snowsel Ano-Ebie
CRTV Douala
How can management be defined? Management is the process of administering and coordinating resources effectively and efficiently in an effort to achieve the goals of an organization. And a manager is anybody who plans an organization’s resources such as time, money and people in a bid to achieve the organization’s objectives, drawing from the contributions of Henri Fayol and those of Henry Mintzberg to management thinking. Thus any African who heads an organization or a part of it, and performs the four management functions of planning, organizing, leading and controlling can be called an African manager.
PROFILE OF THE AFRICAN MANAGER
What then are the distinguishing characteristics of the African manager? African managers for the most part represent the old view of managers. It should however be noted that the profile, which I am presenting of the typical African manager, could also be true of some managers in other parts of the world. But we can confidently draw a profile of African managers because we know them better than we know other managers. After all we live in the same community, we share the same public utilities and we can be contented with being only "ear-witnesses" of who they are, what they do, and what they stand for. The African manager thinks of himself as manager or boss. Others must relate to him only in that capacity. If you go to an organisation where the manager’s office is situated in a storey building, chances are that his office will be somewhere upstairs, maybe on the last floor so that he can seat on top of every other person and is physically seen to be doing so. Thus the African manager is happy to be referred to, as "Up", not to say "God".
The tendency of African managers to "play God" is taken by some managers to an unbearably insane level (degree). From Henry Mintzberg’s classic article, "The manager’s Job: Folklore and Fact", we know that it is a normal managerial role to act as resource allocator. But some African managers when they approve the allocation of funds to projects in the organizations they are supposed to manage behave as if they have done a favour to somebody. Thus such an action becomes national or international News and they expect to get motions of support, to be worshiped and adored. I tell you ladies and gentlemen, if God were to go on retirement or resign from his position, many African managers would apply for the job.
The African manager is all power and all knowledge. The "article of association" gives him all the powers and gives others the impression that he alone knows it all. If you take the constitution of any student’s association you world understand what I am talking about. According to the constitution, the president does this, the president does that, the president does everything. All other executive positions exist only because associations have been having such position in the past. The African manager makes most decisions alone. The boss has decided. The case is closed, no appeal!
But the African manager is not necessarily a full-fledged failure. Mr Gorgui Ibrahima Sene who is general manager of Dakar Marine in Senegal says in "Jeune Afrique Economie" that we Africa managers have decided to build a form of management that takes into consideration our social environment and level of development. I think that he is right! Mr Samuel C. Nana-Sinkam in the same issue of "Jeune African Economie", says "L’Afrique doit gerer autrement", - Africa has to manage differently. I think that he too is right! But for the past 40 years, African managers have not sufficiently used their positions, theirs opportunities and their insights to help alleviate the ills of War, Poverty, Ignorance and Disease on the African continent. Instead those who were privileged to occupy management positions on the continent have used all of their time and their energies trying to become more sophisticated more modern, - more European than the European themselves will ever know how to be.
ENVIRONMENTAL TRENDS INFLUENCING MANAGEMENT
Now, what are the environments that will affect managing in the 21st Century? Again it must be noted that the changes that have been identified by management thinkers which will influence management in the 21st Century are relevant not only in Africa but also in all parts of our ever changing world. The first environmental change that will affect managing in the 21st Century is the globalisation of the marketplace. Many more businesses will see their operations spread across national and cultural frontiers.
Secondly, advances in information technology will affect managing in the 21st Century. The INTERNET, electronic commerce, mobile computing and other forms of globally connected networks shall provide new opportunities and open up new horizons for business and its management.
Thirdly, the growth in service-based organization will influence managing in the 21st Century. Most new organizations shall not be involved in the manufacture of physical goods, but in the provision of services such as entertainment, consultancy services and so on.
PROFILE OF THE 21st CENTURY MANAGER
To conclude, what will be the profile of the 21st Century manager? Managers of 21st Century will have a different managerial style. Managers will no longer think of themselves as "the boss" but will view themselves as coaches, as team leaders or as internal consultants. The chain of command will be less relevant as managers seek out whom ever they need to get the job done. The 21st Century managers will work within a fluid organisational structure. And they will share information freely. They have to be generalists not specialists. These new managers will demand results not just long hours. Therefore, as Africans who may be called up to manage organizations in the 21st Century, our young people should begin to prepare themselves for the challenges that lie ahead. They should seek to master the following competencies that are required of the 21st Century manager. The manager of the 21st Century must be a great communicator. Those who communicate lead! They do not only lead but they also make effective managers. The manager of the 21st Century must be capable of functioning effectively both as a team member and as a team leader. The manager of the 21st Century must be a master of technology, especially information technology. The company of tomorrow will be made up of workgroups and networks of management information systems.
The manager of the 21st Century must be prepared to serve as a foreign ambassador of his culture and his country and his continent. The manager of the 21st Century must be capable of adapting to change when appropriate and creating change when necessary. After all, there is nothing as permanent as change in this world. The manager of the 21st Century must also be prepared to serve as a leader in the 21st Century. Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, come the 21st Century, Africa should be able to count on its young people to be informed, efficient and effective managers...... Africa can count on me in this light. I hope we can count on you also.
Comments