Building capacity in Africa through expatriation: The case of Uganda insurers association

Simple item page
dc.contributorAalto-yliopistofi
dc.contributorAalto Universityen
dc.contributor.authorKarhu, Heikki
dc.contributor.departmentJohtamisen laitosfi
dc.contributor.departmentDepartment of Management Studiesen
dc.contributor.schoolKauppakorkeakoulufi
dc.contributor.schoolSchool of Businessen
dc.date.accessioned2015-11-04T13:21:01Z
dc.date.available2015-11-04T13:21:01Z
dc.date.dateaccepted2015-05-05
dc.date.issued2015
dc.description.abstractThe thesis is driven by the issue of deficient management capacity across Africa, which has many implications for the continent's development. The objective is to understand how expatriates may contribute to building capacity in African host organizations. The thesis is focused on examining the impacts and dynamics of knowledge transfer between an expatriate and the host organization in the framework of capacity development. It investigates the means through which an expatriate manager's knowledge transforms into capacity in the host organization, as well as the factors affecting the success of such contribution. Particular attention is paid to capacity development in the context of business associations. The thesis is a qualitative single case study. It focuses on the case of Uganda Insurers Association (UIA) and, more specifically, the assignment of a Nordic executive to work as UIA's Chief Executive Officer, in the framework of African Management Services Company's (AMSCO) capacity building programme. The research data was obtained from semi-structured interviews with the relevant expatriate, two former members of UIA's governing body, and UIA's current CEO. While hardly generalizable, the findings of the study provide interesting implications. An expatriate can efficiently build capacity in the host organization through various knowledge transfer mechanisms. The value of knowledge transfer, from the perspective of capacity development, depends partly on the extent to which the expatriate's knowledge is, in addition to being shared with other individuals, put into practice and translated into institutional assets improving capacity and competitiveness. In the case of UIA, a range of organization-specific and industry-wide impacts were identified. It is noteworthy that in the context of a business association knowledge was transferred and capacity developed in a catalytic manner, across organizational boundaries. The success of knowledge transfer depends on several factors relating to the context of the assignment. The expatriate needs to be provided with sufficient autonomy and power and be trusted by the local colleagues to be able to use his or her knowledge to build capacity. The expatriate also needs social and disseminative capacities in building capacity. Further, it is important that the process of local succession is carefully prepared.en
dc.ethesisid13957
dc.format.extent109
dc.identifier.urihttps://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/18283
dc.identifier.urnURN:NBN:fi:aalto-201511054854
dc.language.isoenen
dc.locationP1 I
dc.programme.majorMSc program in Management and International Businessen
dc.programme.majorMSc program in Management and International Businessfi
dc.subject.heleconkansainväliset yhtiöt
dc.subject.heleconinternational companies
dc.subject.heleconjohtaminen
dc.subject.heleconmanagement
dc.subject.heleconorganisaatio
dc.subject.heleconorganization
dc.subject.heleconulkomailla työskentely
dc.subject.heleconworking abroad
dc.subject.heleconkehitysmaat
dc.subject.helecondeveloping countries
dc.subject.helecontietämyksenhallinta
dc.subject.heleconknowledge management
dc.subject.heleconkehitys
dc.subject.helecondevelopment
dc.subject.heleconAfrikka
dc.subject.heleconAfrica
dc.subject.keywordknowledge
dc.subject.keywordtieto
dc.subject.keywordexpatriates
dc.subject.keywordulkomailla asuvat kansalaiset
dc.subject.keyworddeveloping countries
dc.subject.keywordkehitysmaat
dc.subject.keyworddevelopment
dc.subject.keywordkehitys
dc.titleBuilding capacity in Africa through expatriation: The case of Uganda insurers associationen
dc.typeG2 Pro gradu, diplomityöfi
dc.type.dcmitypetexten
dc.type.ontasotMaster's thesisen
dc.type.ontasotPro gradu tutkielmafi
local.aalto.idthes13957
local.aalto.openaccessno
Files
Collections
[gradu] Kauppakorkeakoulu / BIZ