Cultural Confluence in Organisational Change: A Portuguese Venture in Angola

This book examines the challenges of intercultural management in sub-Saharan Africa. It presents a case study of Vasco Silva, a Portuguese businessman who established a successful business in Luanda, Angola. After four years of growth, Silva encounters a culture shock due to a wild strike by his employees. He embarks on a deep cultural exploration using the Hofstede 6D model and the Toyota-management tool Genchi Genbutsu (go and see for yourself). Gradually, Silva gains an understanding of effective leadership in the Angolan context, unraveling important features of local culture and initiating an organizational change project.

This work contributes to the ongoing discourse in African management literature, particularly regarding the integration of modern and contemporary traditional organizational and leadership concepts. It responds to the demand for descriptive accounts of hybrid case studies of confluencing cultures. Scholars of African management philosophy and business leaders can utilize this case study to explore indigenous African notions in a business setting, demonstrating the performative characteristics of local leadership forms and the adaptability required for success in foreign business environments

Alette Vonk is a Lecturer in Intercultural Management at the University of Leiden, the Netherlands. She is a Development Sociologist, lived and worked in West Africa for ten years and today she’s a seasoned trainer and consultant in the field of Intercultural Management for a great variety of clients.

Vasco Freitas Silva, PhD is an Executive Board Member of Strong Charon SA, a leading private security company in Portugal. With a career spanning 17 years, Silva has held various management positions, including R&D Manager, Sales Manager, Regional Office Manager, Country Manager and Board Member. He is a member of the alumni network at the Harvard Business School and AESE Business School. He embarked on his entrepreneurial venture in Angola in 2010.