Word from the Editor Africa: Land of promise, land of solutions and action(s) for tomorrow’s management

Africa – a continent full of promise for the future, and a fertile ground for a research that is undeniably becoming more and more distinctive – is the central theme of this issue. Our discipline devotes too little attention to it, despite often-heard sincere wishes. Yet, not only does the research that emerges from it carry many avenues that resonate beyond its borders, but it is also important to build real bridges that allow for South-South and South-North research, to enable outstanding work (in and on Africa) to take the place it deserves in academic circles, as well as in practical application. Our objective is to highlight the rich and promising nature of important work done in this field.

In the first instance, some of the articles in this issue are crossed by lines of force around international issues, whether they are filigreed or explicit. Paul Dominique Zanga Ongbwa responds positively to the question of the environmental responsibility of shareholders of multinational banks established in Africa. He finds a relationship of moderation with managers, and one of mediation with Western managerial culture. Moreover, he addresses what he finds to be the negative influence of foreign investors, in contrast to a more positive influence by their local counterparts. On another note, Serge Francis Simen examines the impacts and perceptions of Chinese entrepreneurs in Senegal. Following a qualitative approach, the relationship between local and Chinese actors appears to be complementary. The latter bring advantages in terms of product affordability, but lead to increased competition. As for Marius Ayou Bene and Cyrille Onomo, they show the link between profitability and management quality in a Cameroonian context. Here, exports seem to have an indirect link that could vary depending on their importance. Finally, Jihene Cherbib and Fadia Bahri Korbi look at international joint ventures established in Tunisia. Their contribution suggests an approach to understanding its developmental stability through a combination of a longitudinal approach and case studies.

In the second part of the issue, the theme of leadership in the African context also emerges as a unifying theme in another set of articles. Gabriel Etogo proposes an examination of paternalistic leadership as it is experienced in Africa, oscillating between a mobilizing tool and an inhibitor of certain forms of effectiveness. He proposes a posture that makes it possible to grasp these two elements simultaneously. On the other hand, Christophe Estay, El Hadji Malick Faye, Catherine Mai and François Durrieu present a contribution on leadership in the Senegalese context. More specifically, they examine the concept of attributional complexity. Their research is an interesting contribution to intercultural management based on a sample of managers and subordinates.

In the third part of the issue, we present a dossier dedicated to the theme of management in Africa. This dossier, under the direction of Ababacar Mbengue, Konan Anderson Seny Kan, Mahamadou Biga-Diambeidou and ogilvie, appears as a particularly promising contribution and comes to consecrate the commitment of the magazine to this continent. In the introduction, they put forward a framework for understanding how research in international trade and international management can advance both the research and priorities of the continent, through cross-contribution with African management. The contributions in this dossier are written from the perspective of empirical research, and explore a multitude of issues. They are also anchored in several disciplines.

In conclusion, this issue presents studies that lie at the heart of Mi’s research interests, with a focus on an inter-disciplinary approach, that takes as its subject under-studied spaces and topics, and strives towards an inclusive science that gives a voice to the South, its researchers and its challenges.