A NEPAD leadership development strategy : the SADC case

Date
2007-12
Authors
Ntsike, Austeria Letholetseng
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The overall aim of this study is to shape the future of the SADC through the New Partnerships for Africa’s Development leadership development strategy (NEPAD LDS), including a social responsiveness strategy. It proceeds from the premise that leadership development should be based on the values and interests of an institution, because these represent the institution’s position regarding the context within which it exists. This study pursued the following objectives: • To identify leadership needs in the SADC • To suggest a NEPAD-based leadership development strategy that includes a social responsiveness strategy as a response to identified SADC leadership needs The research therefore viewed the future of the SADC through leadership development. The entry point in this process was to establish the character and qualities of the SADC, considering that the continued existence of this region depends on its ability to transform all its systems in a unified pursuit of common goals. The history and natural resources of the region were thus seen to be the most visible measures of its overall health and strategic direction. The process of stakeholder identification and mapping was then pursued, with the view to help the SADC leadership to assess systematically the nature and impact of groups with which the organisation deals. Following the stakeholder analysis, information on the macro-environment of the SADC was gathered because of the impact the external environment has on the SADC. This large body of information was screened systematically. The scanning taxonomy that was developed included five areas: social, technological, environmental, economic and political (STEEP). This specialised taxonomy helped the researcher to focus on issues of greatest concern to the study. The issues that were scanned are discussed relative to their impact on SADC leadership practice. Based on the leadership challenges in the SADC thus identified, planning assumptions were developed, which are best guesses or predictions about key dimensions of the future given the leadership challenges identified. These assumptions are estimates based on the combination of estimating factors/validation points, which are portrayed in the analysis of the macro-environment of the SADC. The probability, the impact, the proximity and the maturity of these assumptions are interpreted by calculating their weighted positive or negative values. Cross-impact analysis of the validation points is used to guide the SADC decision-makers to adopt policies designed to achieve more desirable leadership futures. Here, the connections between validation points impacting on the probability of one another are illustrated. These specified relationships trace out a distinct, plausible and internally consistent future for the SADC leadership. This analysis gives rise to the identification of key validation points/drivers in the SADC from which emerge the key leadership needs of this region. Further needs that emerged were to make the NEPAD the base upon which the leadership development programme is built, and to incorporate social responsiveness strategy. Based on these key leadership needs in the SADC, it is suggested that a NEPADbased leadership development strategy, including a social responsiveness strategy, be developed and implemented. Furthermore, the NEPAD leadership development strategy (NEPAD LDS) should be based on the premise that linking leadership development with a social responsiveness strategy is critical not only for the SADC, but for the entire world, because this region is part of the global village. It is suggested that the implementation strategy should enable participants to translate the NEPAD LDS into action and to see leadership development and a social responsiveness strategy as key mechanisms for doing so. This study attempts to avoid the worn-out remedies of the past and uses a holistic approach called Common Sense Management, which entails market research, directionsetting, strategy development, implementing strategies and outcome assessment. The findings and the conclusions for this study are organised around the research questions that were the basis of motivation for this study.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die oorhoofse doelwit van hierdie studie is om die toekoms van die Suider- Afrikaanse Ontwikkelingsgemeenskap (SAOG) te help bepaal deur middel van die Nuwe Vennootskap vir Afrika se Ontwikkeling (algemeen bekend as NEPAD) se leiderskapsontwikkelingstrategie (LDS), insluitende 'n sosiale deelnemendheidstrategie. Dit gaan uit vanaf die veronderstelling dat leierskapsontwikkeling op die waardes en belange van 'n instelling behoort te berus, omdat hulle die instelling se posisie verteenwoordig rakende die konteks waarbinne dit bestaan. Hierdie studie het die volgende doelwitte nagevolg: • Om leierskapsbehoeftes in SAOG te identifiseer • Om 'n NEPAD-gebaseerde leierskapontwikkelingstrategie voor te stel wat 'n sosiale deelnemendheidstrategie insluit as 'n reaksie op die geïdentifiseerde SAOG leierskapsbehoeftes. Daarom betrag die navorsingstuk die toekoms van SAOG deur die bril van leierskapsontwikkeling. Die vertrekpunt in hierdie proses was om die karakter en hoedanighede van SAOG vas te stel met in agneming dat die volgehoue bestaan van hierdie streek van sy vermoë afhang om al sy stelsels in 'n verenigde nastreef van gemeenskaplike doelwitte te transformeer. Die geskiedenis en natuurlike hulpbronne van die streek is dus gesien as die mees sigbare maatreëls in sy oorhoofse gesondheid- en strategiese rigting. Die proses om belanghebbers te identifiseer en te beskryf, is vervolgens aangepak met die oog op bystand aan die SAOG se leierskap om die aard en impak van groepe waarmee die organisasie te doene het, sistematies te beoordeel. Na afloop van die belanghebbersanalise, is inligting oor SAOG se makro-omgewing versamel vanweë die impak van die eksterne omgewing op SAOG. Hierdie groot hoeveelheid inligting is sistematies verwerk. Die verwerkingsistematiek wat ontwikkel is, sluit vyf gebiede in: sosiaal, tegnologies, omgewing, ekonomies en polities (STOEP). Hierdie gespesialiseerde sistematiek het die navorser in staat gestel om op sake wat van die grootste belang vir die studie is, te konsentreer. Die aangeleenthede wat verwerk is, word bespreek in verhouding met hul impak op SAOG se leierskapspraktyke. Op grond van die leierskapsuitdagings in SAOG wat aldus geïdentifiseer is, is beplanningsaannames opgestel wat beste skattings of voorspellings verteenwoordig aangaande sleutelelemente van die toekoms, gegewe die leierskapsuitdagings wat bepaal is. Hierdie aannames word vasgestel op grond van die samestelling van faktore/geldigheidspunte wat in die analise van die makro-omgewing van SAOG voorgestel word. Die waarskynlikheid, die impak, die nabyheid en die rypheid van hierdie aannames word by wyse van die berekening van hul geweegde positiewe of negatiewe waardes geïnterpreteer. 'n Kruisimpakanalise van die geldigheidspunte word gebruik om rigting aan die SAOG besluitnemers te verskaf om hul beleidsrigtings aan te pas om 'n meer gewenste leierskapstoekoms te bewerkstellig. Hier word dan die verbinding tussen die geldigheidspunte uitgebeeld wat 'n invloed op mekaar se onderlinge waarskynlikheid uitoefen. Hierdie aangeduide verhoudings dui 'n duidelike, geloofbare en intern konsekwente toekoms vir die SAOG leierskap aan. Hierdie analise gee aanleiding tot die identifisering van sleutelgeldigheidspunte/aandrywers vir SAOG waaruit die deurslaggewende leierskapsbehoeftes van die streek na vore tree. Verdere behoeftes wat duidelik geword het, was dat NEPAD die basis behoort te verskaf waarop die leierskapsprogram gebou behoort te word, asook om 'n sosiale deelnemendheidstrategie daarby in te begryp. Op grond van hierdie sleutelleierskapsbehoeftes in SAOG, word aan die hand gedoen dat 'n NEPAD-gebaseerde leierskapsontwikkelingstrategie, insluitende 'n sosiale deelnemendheidstrategie, ontwikkel en toegepas word. Verder behoort die NEPAD leierskapontwikkelingstrategie (NEPAD LDS) op die aanname te berus dat 'n aaneenskakeling van leierskapsontwikkeling met 'n sosiale deelnemendheidstrategie krities nie slegs vir SAOG is nie, maar vir die hele wêreld, aangesien hierdie streek deel is van die wêrelddorp. Dit word aanbeveel dat die implementeringstrategie deelnemers behoort in staat te stel om die NEPAD LDS in aksie in om te skakel en om leierskapsontwikkeling en 'n sosiale deelnemendheidstrategie te beskou as sleutelmeganismes in die proses. Hierdie studie poog om die uitgediende redmiddels van die verlede te vermy en om eerder 'n holistiese benadering te gebruik, wat Gesonde Verstandbestuur genoem kan word, wat marknavorsing, rigtingbepaling, strategie-ontwikkeling, die implementering van strategieë en uitkomsgebaseerde assessering insluit. Die bevindings en die gevolgtrekkings in hierdie studie word om die navorsingsvrae gegroepeer wat as motivering vir hierdie studie gedien het.
Description
Dissertation (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.
Keywords
Southern African Development Community, New Partnership for Africa's Development, Africa, Southern -- Economic conditions, Community development -- Africa, Southern, NEPAD, Theses -- Public management and planning, Dissertations -- Public management and planning
Citation