Africapitalism Rethinking the Role of Business in Africa

Africa is on the rise. Enabled by natural resources, commodity trading and the recent discovery of Africa as the last frontier of capitalism by the global market, African entrepreneurs are now being empowered as economic change agents. How can this new economic elite engage in the sustainable development of the continent? 'Africapitalism', the term coined by Nigerian economist Tony O. Elumelu, describes an economic philosophy embodying the private sector's commitment to the economic transformation of Africa through investments generating economic prosperity and social wealth. The concept has attracted significant attention in both business and policy circles. Promoting a positive change in approach and outlook towards development in Africa, this book consolidates research and insights into the Africapitalism movement, and will appeal to scholars, researchers and graduate students of Africa studies, international business, business and society, corporate social responsibility, strategic management, economic thought, international political economy, leadership and development studies.

Foreword Tony O. Elumelu; 1. Introduction Uwafiokun Idemudia, Kenneth Amaeshi and Adun Okupe; 2. Africapitalism: a management idea for business in Africa? Kenneth Amaeshi and Uwafiokun Idemudia; 3. Business elites to the rescue! Reframing capitalism and constructing an expert identity: implications for Africapitalism George Ferns, Adun Okupe and Kenneth Amaeshi; 4. Africapitalism and corporate governance Emmanuel Adegbite, Franklin Nakpodia, Konan A. Seny Kan and Olorunfemi Onakoya; 5. Rethinking human capital development in Africa: towards an Africapitalism perspective Aminu Mamman, Ken Kamoche and Hamza B. Zakaria; 6. Africapitalism and corporate branding Tayo Otubanjo; 7. Who is an Africapitalist? Reimagining private sector leadership in Africa Adun Okupe and Kenneth Amaeshi; 8. Social entrepreneurship and Africapitalism – exploring the connections Diane Holt and David Littlewood; 9. Foreign investors and Africapitalism: the case for Chinese foreign direct investment in Africa Amon Chizema and Nceku Nyathi; 10. Good African coffee: adding value and driving community development in Uganda Lyal White and Adrian Kitimbo; 11. Reflections on Africapitalism and management education in Africa Stella M. Nkomo.

Kenneth Amaeshi is Chair in Business and Sustainable Development and Director of the Sustainable Business Initiative at the University of Edinburgh Business School. Amaeshi's research interest focuses on sector-level policies for sustainability and sustainability strategy in organisations. He has an expert level knowledge of developing and emerging economies.
Adun Okupe was the Africapitalism Research Fellow (post-doctorate) at the Sustainable Business Initiative of the University of Edinburgh. Her research interests are in the role of leadership as instruments for societal change.
Uwafiokun Idemudia is Associate Professor in the Department of Social Science at York University, Toronto. Idemudia's research interests are in the area of critical development studies, business and development, and natural resource extraction and conflict in Africa.