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ManaGlobal between Sciences and Politics: Research and its Socioeconomic Impact[1]


[1] Acknowledgement: I would like to thank my colleagues, university professors and work package leaders Mohamed Branine, Michel Villette, Aminu Mamman and François Pichault for their contributions in the preparation of this report. This report was first presented during a secondment in May 2025 at the University of Torino, Italy with the HESPRI Staff Exchange project under Grant Agreement nº 101086224.

ManaGlobal between Sciences and Politics: Research and its Socioeconomic Impact[1]

Project Number: 823744

Project Acronym: MANAGLOBAL

Project title: Globalised governance norms and local management and business practices in Africa and on the Arab peninsula

University Professor Ulrike Schuerkens

University Rennes 2, LiRIS, France

Scientific coordinator of ManaGlobal

Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) – Research and Innovation Staff Exchange – RISE. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 823744

  • Introduction

The EU funded ManaGlobal project can be considered as action research (cf. Hernandes, 2002; Boucher, 2025) insofar as the European Commission highly values possible impacts on society or as in the case of ManaGlobal on African enterprises. The project participants assumed the willingness of entrepreneurs and researchers as well as employer organizations that the research undertaken in ManaGlobal could serve to transform economic practices.

With secondments between the Global South and the Global North, publications, communications in summer schools, posts in blogs, research in different African countries, the capacity for reflection of participants was raised so that new knowledge could be produced that could change the actions of the entrepreneurs involved. Through encounter and confrontation on the meaning of entrepreneurial commitment, participants could be led to reflect on their economic situation. In fact, this process was based on mutual understandings on processes that are rarely described in the scientific literature on economic endeavours.

The cooperation of researchers, economic actors that were employers and employer organizations meant that “the scientific and the political” (Weber, 1919) aspects of research could be tackled so that scientific knowledge was produced as well as professional knowledge aimed to transform the situation of employers and their enterprises.

The project successfully tried to produce with societal actors the necessary understanding of their practices. Communication measures were used (blog, summer schools) but also discussions between researchers and entrepreneurs so that questions on given practices could be tackled that would improve the employers’ day-to-day activities. The disciplinary horizons of the researchers (management, sociology, anthropology and economics) helped to investigate with a methodological apparatus that is specific for the social sciences. This research was not political with spokespersons who advise but influenced by disciplines and their standards. New concepts could circulate, new questions could be asked, debates in summer schools could be followed by researchers and employers so that a new meaning of transcultural entrepreneurship could be created. The researchers involved got the message across and helped to change dynamics in the local African socioeconomic field. Thus, they created sense within local situations that had to be changed to improve difficult socioeconomic situations in Africa.

The following presentation will give insights in the ManaGlobal project and is mainly based on the final report that was submitted to the European Commission in fall 2024.

1.          Explanation of the work carried out by the beneficiaries and Overview of progress

  1. Objectives

ManaGlobal’s main objective was to study and understand the hybridization of business and management practices in African and Arab countries, and to develop a theoretical framework that may help future business leaders and managers to act locally and think globally.

This main objective was further delineated under five scientific objectives as listed below:

  • SO1: To analyse and compare the theories of managing organizations in different cultural and business contexts, crossing the European and Arab/African state-of-the-art on the subjects and the economic and sociological approaches (WP1)
    • SO2: To assess the real business practices in enterprises and to compare with the theoretical and “leader” visions to understand the causes of performance failures and successes (WP2)
    • SO3: To examine the education, training and business backgrounds of African/Arab successful company managers in relation to their concrete management experience in “real life” (WP3)
    • SO4: To develop a research-based theoretical framework for the understanding of business and management practices in African/Arab companies (WP1 to 3)
    • SO5: To make recommendations to policy and decision-makers and to design training programmes on “business and management of organizations” in African and Arab countries to future local and international leaders and managers (WP 4 and 5)

The project focused on the processes of interaction, interdependence and articulation between local management practices and those of the globalized economy. ManaGlobal thus sought to understand the extent to which hybridization between these modes of management is possible and is organized in practice. To achieve this objective, various work packages were set up to carry out specific tasks. The work packages are detailed in the next section.

One first result of the project was the regular publication of books and scientific articles. The researchers involved in the project had set themselves the objective of producing knowledge on the issue of management practices, using a North-South comparative approach (SO1 and SO4). This research has given rise to some remarkable publications, both by eminent researchers and by the PhD students involved in the project (cf. the list of references). ManaGlobal also made it possible to gather a wealth of first-hand accounts from entrepreneurs (SO2 and SO3). Many videos have been recorded by Michel Villette in Morocco, Senegal and Cameroon, helping us better understand the conditions in which these companies are evolving, and the strategies they are implementing to seize the opportunities they find along the way, or to resist in the face of difficulties (Covid, unfavourable economic context, political crises, etc.).

The second result of the project is the large number of secondments it has enabled. Researchers and administrative staff from the partner institutions have been given the opportunity to spend time on research or training assignments, which have undoubtedly enabled them to gain greater expertise in their respective activities.

In terms of training and capacity building (SO5), the programme also enabled three training sessions to be organised in partnership with universities in the South (AFI-UE, UCAD, UDLA) and employers’ organisations (CNES, GIGAM). These training sessions targeted managers and entrepreneurs seeking to strengthen their capacities.

Another important result of the project are the seven conferences and workshops that were organised and the various seminars held during the secondments. Both were opportunities for exchange, during which participants presented their work and received comments and suggestions from other participants that could enrich their work. These events also helped to strengthen the links between the researchers involved in the project. The events were also an opportunity to exchange with the entrepreneurs. As stipulated in OS3 and OS4 of the project, the research carried out had to take account of the conditions in which entrepreneurs in the South operate. We therefore took advantage of the conferences to hear these entrepreneurs tell us their stories. This was the case, for example, of two women entrepreneurs invited to speak at the final conference.

This report outlines the activities undertaken and the impact the project has had on the various partners involved.

1.2                Explanation of the work carried out per WP

ManaGlobal was divided in three interrelated scientific work packages (WP) all related to the SOs mentioned above. In addition, three transversal WPs assured the smooth coordination of all activities including the trainings and secondments, the best communication and dissemination of the results, and a rigorous coordination of the overall project.

  1. Work Package 1

The primary aim of WP1 was to achieve the project’s scientific objective SO1: to analyse and compare theories of organizational management across different cultural and business contexts, bridging European and Arab/African perspectives through economic and sociological approaches. This phase represented the initial step of the ManaGlobal project, focusing on reviewing relevant literature and building research capacity among participating members. The activities included a substantial number of South-to-North secondments of Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs) to access library resources, receive close supervision from field experts, and participate in courses and research. Additionally, a smaller number of North-to-South secondments of Senior Researchers (SRs) facilitated visits to Southern institutions and industry partners to establish networks, arrange future secondments, and exchange knowledge [M3-M12]. All specific objectives of WP1 have been successfully achieved, with all tasks completed as outlined in the grant agreement.

As planned, the activities under WP1 were designed to maximize the impact on research capacity building. This was notably demonstrated by the shift in the profile of researchers participating in the conferences. At the initial Winter conference at Manchester University, most presenters were senior researchers. In contrast, by the final conference at Rennes 2 University, most presenters were junior researchers. This shift highlights the significant impact of WP1’s capacity-building efforts, as many junior researchers and PhD students acquired essential skills, knowledge and confidence in conducting research and presenting papers following their secondments at the beneficiary institutions. The beneficiaries’ institutions like the University Abertay, Dundee (Scotland) provided excellent facilities in terms of use of IT services, library and working environment that made the secondees from the partner institutions decide to extend their secondments to more than one month or have two secondments in one institution. PhD students benefitted not just from the facilities but also the academic support in terms of regular meetings with senior academics and attending research seminars and workshops to complete their theses.

The incoming secondments, mainly by junior researchers and PhD students, had significant impact on capacity building and academic development of the secondees who found, according to their reports, their stay in the beneficiaries’ universities very useful for their academic career progression and they benefitted from the experience of working in different cultures and academic environments.

The analysis of the case studies produced as part of WP3, shows that the project has had significant impact on the development and management of SMEs.

In terms of gender balance, there was a good balance of male and female participants at all stages of the project from all academic levels.

The research conducted for WP1 was a review of literature on management that can contribute towards European policy objectives and strategies when put in the context of comparative analysis and the impact of cultural differences on management and organizations.

  1. Work package 2

WP2 aimed to fulfil the scientific objective SO2 of the project: to assess real business practices within enterprises and compare them with theoretical frameworks and leading visions to understand the underlying causes of performance successes and failures. This work package represented the subsequent phase following WP1.

WP2 focused on examining and analysing the profiles of business organizations across various sectors in the selected study countries. The activities were carried out through North-to-South secondments to gather primary and secondary data. Additionally, South-to-North secondments were utilized to collect pertinent secondary data and draft research papers. The primary focus of WP2 laid on the organizational micro-level analysis of selected businesses in African and Arab countries.

Objectives: The analysis of the activities undertaken and the outcomes suggests that significant milestones have been achieved. The milestones related to the following objectives of WP2 were:

  • To identify key informants (managers, business owners, leaders, key employees, employer organizations etc.) for the development of five case studies meant for WP3.
  • To examine and analyse profiles of business organizations in different sectors from the selected study countries.
  • To collect and analyse primary data as well as to review the literature on the profiles of business leaders and their organizations, including data from company reports, financial statements, websites, financial newspapers and other company related sources.
  • To explore the national policies; analysing the dialectic relationship between inclusion and exclusion of values, and its effect on local communities and businesses.
  • To understand how and to what extent local institutions and cultural patterns become resources or obstacles, opportunities or threats to doing business and managing organizations in African and Arab countries.

Tasks: The work package task 2: In Work package 2, Task 2 was the following: Identify and collect documentary data of key enterprises and institutions in different sectors in the economy and develop networks for access to primary data. Interview business leaders, intellectuals, influential personalities and policy makers/influencers. Analyse the data collected and document the profiles/biographies of at least five people and five companies from each of the studied countries. Identify and establish networks to gain access to the main stakeholders in selected enterprises and institutions with the aim of producing organizationally based case studies in WP3.

To achieve the aims of Task 2, experienced researchers and early researchers from the South as well as from Europe undertook several months of secondments. The researchers interviewed many business owners across the countries. Similarly, academics, policy makers, and members of business associations were interviewed. They collected data, analysed, published or drafted academic papers, book chapters, and submitted book proposals and published in a special issue of the Africa Journal of Management.

The following activities in Ghana have contributed to Task 1. Four large and small business enterprises were interviewed. Officials of large public and Business associations were interviewed. They were members of the Association of Ghana Industry, University of Ghana, and Officials of the Ghanaian government.

In Morocco and Senegal, interview data were collected and analysed. In Morocco, a total of 25 interviews were conducted, with many recorded as videos to be included in the project deliverables. Similarly, in Senegal, interview data were gathered and analysed to contribute to the project outcomes.

1.2.3 Work package 3

This report provides a comprehensive summary of the progress made in Work Package No. 3 (WP3) between 2019 and 2024.

Michel Villette, the work package leader and former Professor Emeritus of Sociology at AgroParisTech (University of Paris-Saclay), was appointed Visiting Professor at Abertay University, Dundee, from December 2022 to November 2024. Despite his relocation, he continued to lead WP3 until the project’s completion.

Out of the 297.33 secondments conducted as part of the ManaGlobal program, 64.21 (21.59%) were exclusively dedicated to WP3. While twelve of these assignments did not directly result in publications, they significantly contributed to training, professional development and capacity building, including doctoral students’ work. Additionally, eight assignments carried out between December 2023 and June 2024 have yet to produce publishable results.

In January 2020, the initial report featured 14 projects: 8 surveys in progress and 7 first drafts. By January 2021, the second report covered 28 projects by 17 researchers, including 26 first drafts, 11 of which were presented at the Dakar conference on December 20, 2020. At that time, five texts were deemed publishable.

The June 2023 report reflected substantial progress, showcasing 25 publishable texts, with seven already published in academic journals. Additionally, 22 texts are included in a book in French by an academic publisher (2024), with an English adaptation in progress.

It is important to note that the list of deliverables is incomplete, as publications from 2024 secondments and doctoral theses that have not yet been defended are not included. Additionally, due to funding constraints imposed by the European Commission’s rules, only one study was conducted in the United Arab Emirates.

1.2.4. Work package 4

The primary activities of WP4, led by Professor Ulrike Schuerkens, Université Rennes 2, focused on organizing online courses aimed at enhancing professional skills for entrepreneurs. This online training was administered by the Business School AFI-l’UE (Senegal), with contributions from several researchers involved in the ManaGlobal programme. The courses were designed for graduates with at least three years of higher education, as well as professionals and entrepreneurs from Africa and the diaspora. Developed at UR2 with input from various young researchers, these courses were made accessible to learners via the UR2 platform, which also managed registrations, communications, and end-of-session evaluations.

WP4 comprised three key tasks:

  1. Training of Staff: Conducting workshops and summer schools on business research methods.
  • Professional Development and Capacity Building: Enhancing skills and capabilities.
  • Elaboration of Training Materials: Developing materials based on research results.

All planned workshops and summer schools were successfully executed:

  • February 2019: Kick-off Meeting, Rennes 2 University, France.
  • December 2019: Winter School, University of Manchester, England.
  • December 2020: Dakar Pre-Summer School Workshop, Online.
  • June 2021: Dakar Summer School, AFI-UE, Senegal.
  • December 2022: Winter School, University of Douala, Cameroon.
  • December 2023: Winter School, University of Liège, Belgium.
  • May 2024: Final Conference, University of Rennes 2, France.

These events provided valuable opportunities for project members to share their experiences and foster collaboration. They facilitated face-to-face interactions among young and experienced researchers from different organizations, as well as with representatives from institutions and businesses. These conferences also promoted the sharing of resources and results, and offered young researchers opportunities to develop their language, communication and time management skills. Additionally, they served as moments of cultural exchange and immersion in the realities of the host countries.

The most recent conference, held in Rennes, France in May 2024, included both plenary sessions and workshops. This format allowed PhD students to present their ongoing research and receive constructive feedback from senior researchers.

Furthermore, seminars were organized during secondments in both North and South locations. Secondees were integrated into host laboratories, participating in seminars and events that facilitated a broad range of exchanges. Many secondees had the opportunity to present their research to members of the host laboratories or a wider audience through these organized seminars.

The project has successfully facilitated a significant number of secondments, allowing experienced researchers to teach and supervise Master and PhD students. Additionally, the project provided access to bibliographical resources for researchers, including doctoral students, in the South. Secondments to Northern universities enabled these researchers to conduct comprehensive literature reviews using books, journals and online resources not available in their home countries.

The project also established a series of online courses with the following objectives:

  • To enhance the managerial performance of professionals in companies across sub-Saharan Africa and the Arab world.
  • To familiarize participants with the socio-economic and socio-cultural characteristics of Africa and Arab countries that impact corporate governance and management.
  • To provide insights into globalization and socio-economic development in sub- Saharan Africa and the Arab world, helping develop strategies for business success in regions facing high unemployment and challenging economic conditions.
  • To support the continuing education of managers, entrepreneurs and executives in French-speaking Africa, allowing them to engage in training at their own pace, either individually or collectively.

To promote these training sessions, AFI implemented extensive and targeted communication strategies for each course. For example, the department responsible for these modules carried out various actions to promote the courses to partner companies and organizations. Official letters were sent to the heads of these organizations, urging them to encourage their colleagues to sign up for the training.

Course Structure

The courses were organized into modular formats, allowing learners to progress according to their own schedules while adhering to set deadlines. Upon completion of each module, participants were awarded a training certificate.

  • Module 1: Basic Elements of Management
  • Module 2: Socioeconomics of Globalization and Localization in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Arab Region, by Professor Ulrike Schuerkens (Université Rennes 2), Professor Moustapha Tamba (Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar) and Dr. Moustapha Seye (UCAD).
  • Module 3: Socioeconomics of Emerging Countries, by Professor Marc Lautier and Senior Lecturer Diadié Diaw (Université Rennes 2) and Professor Ababacar Dieng (UCAD).
  • Module 4: Sociology and Management of International Companies in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Arab World, by Professor Michel Villette (AgroParisTech).
  • Module 5: Innovation Management and New Business Models, by Professor Nada Soudi (ISCAE, Casablanca).

Impact of WP4

Three training sessions were organized. The table below summarizes the outcomes of these sessions. A fourth session was scheduled for spring 2024, but was cancelled due to the profiles of applicants, who primarily lacked entrepreneurial or management experience.

SessionSession 1Session 2Session 3
PeriodMarch 28 – July 26, 2022Nov. 4, 2022- Feb. 27, 2023April 21 – Aug. 15, 2023
Number of participants  49  58  60
  Country of participantsNot requested on registration formsSenegal: 37 Cameroun: 15 Chad: 5 Mali: 1Senegal: 25 Cameroon: 33 USA: 1 Mauritania: 1

In summary, the objectives of WP4 have been successfully met. The programme has significantly enhanced the management skills of leaders and managers from Africa and the Arab world. Additionally, it has facilitated the training of doctoral students from these regions by providing them with opportunities to spend time at Western universities, thereby immersing themselves in advanced research and teaching methodologies.

  1. Work package 5

The international mobility of staff, research, training and the development of teaching and learning materials was a core premise of the ManaGlobal project, fostering innovative and interdisciplinary dialogue between North and South. Networking was integral to all the activities across the project’s various work packages, particularly through the conferences and seminars organized by the project partners. These networking activities were further enhanced by international mobility and participation in a range of workshops and seminars beyond those organized by the network. Such engagements aimed to stimulate collaboration with other researchers, contributing to the writing and presentation of articles at both national and international forums. Work Package 5 (WP5) played a crucial role in this context by promoting communication and dissemination of the project’s results and activities. The aim was to stimulate exchanges both within the network and externally. WP5 was directed by LENTIC at the University of Liège, with significant contributions from Simon Wuidar and Chloé Brassart, who conducted research periods in Cameroon. The work package was overseen by Professor François Pichault.

The project’s outputs were actively disseminated and communicated within both academic and non-academic networks, with a strong focus on the countries where the case studies were conducted. All project members participated in national and international conferences, where their findings and experiences have been reported and featured in various news items. This includes numerous exchanges between North and South, and South and North. The ManaGlobal Web blog (https://managlobal.hypotheses.org) under the supervision of University Professor Ulrike Schuerkens served as a pivotal platform for disseminating research findings and project-related events. The site has been used to make communication materials—such as project brochures, articles, leaflets —freely accessible. In addition to online dissemination, communication with both academic and non-academic participants, as well as the broader public, involved organizing workshops, schools, and training courses during both summer and winter. These workshops, tailored for researchers and business partners involved in the project, were also adapted for practitioners, contributing to the broader impact and outreach of the project.

As part of the ManaGlobal project, several summer and winter schools were organized in Senegal, Cameroon, and Belgium, and the final conference held in Rennes from May 15 to 17, 2024. These events brought together researchers and entrepreneurs from both the South and the North. The project’s findings were disseminated to the broader scientific community through scientific articles, edited volumes, and research monographs, all published in peer-reviewed outlets. Young researchers and post-doctoral students from partner universities were actively encouraged to contribute to these publications. Additionally, manuals, guidance documents, and practical guides were developed to address the needs of non-academic partners. These resources, containing practical recommendations for business leaders, were disseminated locally through professional associations and network partners, enhancing the project’s impact beyond the academic sphere.

In conclusion, the dissemination of the ManaGlobal project’s results was executed through a multifaceted and targeted strategy. Internally seamless and continuous communication via regular meetings, workshops, effective collaborative platforms, and the publication of internal reports and newsletters was maintained. These efforts were instrumental in ensuring high levels of coordination and information sharing across the network.

Externally, diverse communication channels to effectively reach both academic and professional audiences were established. Findings were disseminated to the academic community through publications in scientific and professional journals, as well as presentations at conferences and seminars. Simultaneously, visibility and impact among professionals were maximized through digital media, the publication of reports and blog articles, and the organization of workshops and webinars.

This targeted communication approach ensured that each audience received tailored, relevant information, while active participation in key forums and events enhanced engagement with stakeholders. In summary, the dissemination of ManaGlobal’s results was characterized by a well-integrated use of internal and external channels, successfully engaging and informing a diverse audience with precision and impact.

2.     IMPACT

One of the key incentives of the ManaGlobal project was to encourage and ensure the potential and future career prospects of the members involved in the project in line with the principle set out in the European Charter for Researchers. ManaGlobal enhanced the skills of the researchers involved and promoted the sharing of these competences between researchers from Europe, Africa and the Arab countries through secondments, joint research publications and teaching material.

About 20 ESRs of various levels (including PhD students) were jointly supervised and trained by the ER team members. The educational benefits offered by the project were comprehensive and provided each member with long-term benefits, such as research and teaching skills as well as academic career opportunities. ManaGlobal generated a few benefits for academic and non-academic participants as follows:

  • Methodological training: University of Manchester and the Université Rennes 2 organized courses locally to train African and Arab ER and ESR to work with qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis and provided them with methodological tools. The African partners in Ghana and Senegal provided similar courses to facilitate research in their institutions and to train ESR on the methodology of field research.
  • Professional academic training: The summer/winter schools, workshops and seminars on research methodology and data analysis using the above tools, on writing and presentation skills were offered to all participants.
  • Professional business training: short training programmes, networking events and workshops were organized in partner countries. These activities included leadership development, profiling and image building, knowledge exchange and promoting women in business.
  • Teaching and capacity building: University of Manchester and University Abertay, Dundee offered courses for African and Arab ESR on Management and Corporate Governance to enhance their theoretical knowledge on the management of enterprises. The University of Ghana organized courses on Teaching Glocal Management in African and Arab societies to local and international students. UR2 developed online courses on glocal management in a digitalized form for mainly French-speaking students that were destined to managers and business leaders. 
  • Fieldwork training for ER and ESR: Each of the participating Southern countries but also the European countries hosted a visit of enterprises related to management to benefit European and African ER and ESR with the objective of field research training and of encouraging similar dynamics in the participants’ own countries.

ManaGlobal was conceived to emphasize gender equality, career development and social mobility among all the partners. To this end, the sharing of the leadership of the WPs was distributed evenly according to the beneficiaries and gender with the aim of encouraging women to access key positions. The administration of research is in fact a crucial step in advancing academic careers.

About 20 ESR started or finalized their PhDs during the implementation of ManaGlobal. The project encouraged them to develop their professional, social and intercultural skills and increase their employability. Therefore, they have been able to apply for positions with increased potential for achieving leadership roles in their institutions.

2.1 Developing new and lasting research collaborations, achieving transfer of knowledge between participating organizations and contribution to improving research and innovation potential at the European and global levels

Development and sustainability of new and lasting research collaborations resulting from the intersectoral and/or international secondments and the networking activities implemented.

ManaGlobal involved research institutions, universities and a mixture of large, small and medium private sector enterprises and employer organizations in a project dedicated to the understanding of business and management in Africa and Arab countries. This initiative was the outcome of on-going collaborations and networking activities of its members over the recent years. For example, UR2 and AgroParisTech participated in an edited book on Global Management (Schuerkens, 2014) and presented papers in several working groups and conference sessions (International Sociological Association’s workshops in Buenos Aires 2012, Vienna, 2016 and Toronto 2018; Association française de sociologie, Thematic group: Sociologie de la gestion 2015, Association française d’économie politique 2017). Some of the participating institutions had already established North-South links (AgroParisTech and ISCAE, UniMAN and UniGhana; UR2 and UCAD/UniDouala). Based on these strong collaborations, ManaGlobal advanced the state of the art by bridging divisions, encouraging dialogue, sharing expertise and developing a framework for ever lasting intersectoral collaborations.

This project included a standing forum that brought academics and non-academics together to share experiences, ideas, knowledge and human resources. As well as several publications and training programmes, one of the main outcomes of this collaboration was the co-production of an online diploma programme at UR2 on the study of glocal business and management in Africa and the Arab countries. The business practitioners played a critical role in the conception, delivery and assessment of the curriculum. The conceptualization and introduction of this programme at UR2 were in the form of digital resources. This diploma contributed to further institutionalize research, training and intersectoral exchanges in a region where such a structure was not yet existing. Undoubtedly, research collaborations and teaching programmes will be pursued after the end of ManaGlobal. Cutting-edge research questions and areas will be formulated to submit further bids to other European and international research programmes. ManaGlobal has thus permitted to create lasting research, teaching and business collaborations among research groups, managers and business leaders, university departments and colleges that are interested in business and management theory and practice and the governance structure of private sector companies. The online courses eventually assured self-sustainability of the benefits of the project after the end of the EU funding to ManaGlobal.

Intersectoral collaborations have been maintained through the common elaboration of deliverables that put ManaGlobal in a position to formulate new perspectives in policy development related to the management and social benefit of enterprises. The transfer of knowledge from research (theory) to the business world (socioeconomic reality) and relevant policy makers has fostered new working relationships among stakeholders in places where management represents a human and economic potential to be developed according to local cultures, legal systems and institutions.

As such, ManaGlobal was able to contribute to data analysis, new knowledge and skills for the enhancement of the economic governance of enterprises in the various areas covered by the project and elsewhere. With a strong concern for the economic benefit of local enterprises and their empowerment, ManaGlobal’s contribution to training in business and management skills can be translated into a source of employment and sustainability of young scholars and the business community on the African continent and in the Arab world.

At the end of the project, the partnership had established an up-to-date internal communication circuit with proven efficacy. This communication network, connecting 16 institutions, more than 20 ER and about 20 ESR in different regions represents a tremendous asset in extending in space and time the partnership initiated through ManaGlobal. Beyond this established communication network, the self-sustainability of the partnership is assured through regular academic meetings, international conferences, mentoring, the dissemination of project outcomes through publications, the maintaining of networks through business events and social media contacts. 

In addition, the work conducted on capacity building among the partner institutions will eventually bear fruit and permit the research participants to obtain positions that require higher research and teaching qualifications. The training of a new generation of scholars, and the career development of the ER involved in ManaGlobal was one of the strongest assets insuring the sustainability of this collaborative work after the completion of the project.

The publications, proceedings, reports and other deliverables have presented a highly competitive background with which members of the team and other researchers are able to conceptualise and develop further programmes of research and innovation. The partners are encouraged to submit joint proposals on further European projects to continue this strong network through education, training and research efforts, such as Erasmus + co-operations among the different participants.

2.2. Contribution of the action to the improvement of the research and innovation potential within Europe and/or worldwide

ManaGlobal is totally relevant with the objective of Europe, as mentioned in the work programme H2020 of the Societal Challenge 6: “Place, greater emphasis on fostering new types of actions that allow for engaging together globally, which strengthen the position of Europe on the global scene; better anticipate and address challenges in key regions, maximising the EU’s clout in global affairs; implement the EU strategy for international cooperation in research and innovation by strengthening activities to promote the position of Europe on the global scene, attract international partners to Horizon 2020, enhance research and innovation exchanges and dialogue, and strengthen the European R&I presence in strategic partner countries and regions.”

Thanks to the ambitions and objectives promoted by ManaGlobal, its members and its participating institutions have represented major references on Management and Governance Studies in Africa South of the Sahara, the Arab countries and Europe. ERs have seen their scientific expertise consolidated and disseminated, ESR have seen their integration into national institutions and international networks facilitated, and business leaders and managers have seen their enterprises improve, grow and become competitive and sustainable.

ManaGlobal represented a unique research partnership between European, Arab and African countries. Indeed, the significance of business and academic links in the development of strong intellectual and collaborative ties between the partners should not be underestimated. Beyond the global contemporary societal challenges faced by our societies, the social sciences have the potential to reconfigure and reformulate the nature and significance of this collaboration.

2.3. Quality of the proposed measures to exploit and disseminate the project results

According to the principles set in the European Charter for Researchers, the researchers involved in ManaGlobal have ensured a clear, transparent and wide dissemination of the results produced in the project to assure the best exploitation of results and a large communication to the public in order to sensitize it to the importance of the project topic for the society and to the results achieved thanks to the support of the European Commission. We have determined the impact of our disseminations at three levels: a) the institutional uptake of the outcomes of the project, especially by policy makers; b) organizational uptake, especially by business leaders and managers of enterprises; and c) by individuals in the academic and non-academic sectors.

2.4. Dissemination strategy about the results to achieve the potential impact of the action

The dissemination of the knowledge and results produced and obtained within the different WPs towards scientists, stakeholders, business leaders was one of the pillars of ManaGlobal methodology and an effective way to meet the project objectives. A dissemination plan detailing the strategy to disseminate the ManaGlobal results and give them a wider international visibility was set in the early stages of the project and was regularly updated. The targeted audience of ManaGlobal dissemination strategy was mainly composed with the scientific community, the economic actors and the policymakers.

A website dedicated to ManaGlobal has become a hub facilitating the access of the scientific community and a wider public to the various components of ManaGlobal. The presentations and regular updates of the calendar of activities, the links to publications of team members, and to existing digital resources and external websites were complemented by this scientific blog (www.managlobal.hypotheses.org/) that kept the academic community and the local and national stakeholders abreast of scientific news and activities conducted by ManaGlobal. Regular reports on the work in progress were available on the website and contributed to the transparency of the research methodology, the clarity of the research questions and the inevitable process of their reformulation.

Results and knowledge were also shared and presented in publications, as well as in research seminars, conferences and courses dedicated to the subject of business and management in Arab and African countries.

  • ManaGlobal partners published scientific papers in refereed journals (e.g. Palimpseste, Gérer & comprendre, International Sociology, Human Resource Management Review, Journal of Business Research, Journal of World Business, to mention only a few).
  • Four books for the research community with important publishers (Routledge, L’Harmattan, École des Mines) for future business leaders and managers were planned. These books were distributed in business schools, universities, employer organisations, and policy-making institutions thus ensuring a high visibility of the research and exchanges conducted in ManaGlobal. They offered ground-breaking knowledge and representations of management in the academia and for a further use of various national and local stakeholders. At the individual level, the impact was evaluated through career progression enabled by publications and participations as well as qualifications gained following academic training. At the project level, the impact of these activities was evaluated by the uptake of the knowledge by policy makers (political measures, new rules and programmes), especially in business development and by the business community.
  • On the platform of research notebooks – freely accessible to specialists and the public – in the social sciences, a Hypothesis research notebook in English and French (http://fr.hypotheses.org/) was provided. There are open archives HAL collections around the ManaGlobal project where all the publications of the project have been consolidated in accordance with the editorial policies of journals and publishing houses. Presentations were also planned in the teaching activities of the participating institutions and in the digital courses.
  • In terms of oral presentations of the project results, the workshops in Dakar (Senegal) and Douala (Cameroon) as well as the final conference in Rennes allowed a large dissemination of results and acquired knowledge towards various targeted audiences: the scientific community, the business sector and the policymakers.
  • In addition, all partners planned to participate and present the work undertaken and the project results in various national and international conferences and congresses such as theInternational Sociological Association’s(ISA) World Congress of sociology (2022), the ISA Forum of Sociology in 2020, the Congress of the Association Française de Sociologie (French Sociological Association) (in 2019 and 2021); the annual congresses of the Association Française pour l’Économie Politique (Afep), the bi-annual Congresses of the Association for the anthropology of social change and development (APAD) in 2020, 2022 and 2024, the annual conference of the British Academy of Management (BAM), the 5th Biennial Conference in 2020 of The Africa Academy of Management.
  • Lastly, presentations in the socio-economic press (e.g. Ouest-France, The Economist, Le Matin, Challenge.ma) have disseminated the results and have ensured a socio-economic impact.

Key performance indicators (KPIs) such as number of attendees, the volumes of publications and the level of attendance by non-economic participants permitted to measure the impact.

2.5. How the results have been taken up / used?

Main results of ManaGlobal were taught in the online courses programme to be implemented by UR2 but were also spread by the employer organizations in the different countries involved. Scholars from UR2, UAD, UniMAN and UCAD prepared courses that were destined to young African and Arab managers to improve their entrepreneurial practices in local spaces influenced by global practices. The glocal economic processes in the different countries have thus been improved by this new knowledge on hybridization processes that undergo on the continent. 

2.6. Expected impact of the proposed measures

ManaGlobal has become a prime producer of knowledge on business and management in Africa and the Arab countries and as such will have a lasting impact on the wider research and innovation community beyond the region. Research progressed through the development of field training and networking activities; the results of ManaGlobal have represented a landmark of intellectual and social achievement and a future model for successful collaborative projects. In addition, the development of teaching modules on business, management, research methods and corporate governance in Africa and the Arab world had the potential to impact on national and international curricula, and to transform the way we look at cross-cultural management and corporate governance.

The societal impact has thus been significant as it has helped to understand the vast economic sector of the South that has been influenced by neoliberal globalization and corporate networks created in Africa and on the Arab peninsula. An understanding of the hybrid nature of Southern businesses and intercultural exchange will contribute to a better functioning of these entities, a better contribution to the economy of the country and a strategy of avoidance of conflicts between different categories of enterprises, characterized by types of globalized governance and various local business practices. Direct contacts with local schools of business and management made our results known to the business world in the regions included in the project and local entrepreneurs. Professional networks of alumni of business schools that the members of the consortium (eg. Michel Villette at AgroParisTech; Aminu Mamman at the GDI, Manchester University and Mohamed Branine at DBS, Abertay University) have been able to access, increased the visibility of the project and its impact on local businesses and enterprises. Access to local business and management schools has provided opportunities for implementation in areas that are not yet explored and the consolidation of knowledge and skills generated by ManaGlobal.

The dissemination activities had an impact on the economic success of business leaders and enterprises in the countries participating in the project but also in further countries of the region and worldwide. The results of the project were disseminated widely to enterprises, universities, business institutes and policy-making organizations. It is expected that ManaGlobal has opened new paths of research and teaching mainly in Business schools that had to think over their links to northern universities and Western research outcomes. Professional associations of young businessmen and businesswomen have been interested in the research outcomes of the ManaGlobal project and the online courses developed by UR2. The close links of university institutes in the South with political and economic leaders (employer organizations) permitted to create new programmes for young people who want to create a business, thus influencing economic policies in the countries of the region. 

2.7. Quality of the proposed measures to communicate the project activities to different target audiences

Communication strategy about the project and results, outreach plan and the activities envisaged to engage the public

A first step in the communication strategy of ManaGlobal was to develop a visual and graphic identity, thanks to which all communication, publications and deliverables were easily associated to the project.

The website dedicated to ManaGlobal have also been a communication tool towards a large public, explaining the importance of this research topic for the European and African/Arab populations and researchers. In addition, a measured presence on the social medias was discussed and implemented by the team members during the kick-off meeting.The Hypothèses research blog has greatly contributed to translating research towards a larger audience of local communities, students and economic stakeholders. They were presented during educational activities or in sciences-café, which allowed progressive discussions and debates. Furthermore, newspapers such as Ouest-France, L’économiste, Le Matin and Challenge.ma (Morocco) received pieces of publications and allowed reaching a wide audience out of the scientific community.

The circulation of these materials in the various regions covered by ManaGlobal greatly served the aim of bridging experts’ knowledge and the public. Audiences were business leaders, journalists, ministries and enterprises based on the social networks of the participant ER and ESR. The project and its results were presented at regular special public events organized by the participating universities institutes within the different countries.

2.8. Expected impact of the proposed measures

With an outreach strategy being developed in the countries involved in ManaGlobal, a wide impact was expected. Public presentations at the end of the project in the participating countries and discussions about management, economies and governance in universities, business schools and chambers of commerce have contributed to raising social awareness and have fostered economic growth and development. Through the interaction of academics, professionals and economic communities, and in the numerous sites of the team’s interventions, ManaGlobal explained the importance of this topic for African/Arab and European countries and decisively contributed to adding substance and cohesion to the social fabric of our contemporary societies, such generating a crucial impact in a continent, characterized by high youth unemployment and outward migration. The online courses on “Glocal management in African and Arab countries” included the new knowledge fostered by ManaGlobal in the new generation of managers on the continent.

In line with our expectations, the project’s impact can be categorized as follows:

2.9. Contribution of the action to the improvement of the research and innovation potential within Europe and/or worldwide

By interrogating the “state of the art” regarding management practices in African and Arab countries, the project has set the overarching purpose of understanding and describing the hybridisation between global and local management practices. Documenting the concept of “glocal” practices, defended by the important sociological and anthropological research of Ulrike Schuerkens, could ultimately lead to a better self-understanding and improvement perspectives for the targeted entities. The project has documented the importance of African cultures in the economic systems of sub-Saharan Africa. The chapters of the published articles and books analyse the economies of Senegal, Ghana, Morocco and Cameroon and the measures taken to improve the economic situation and the integration of the population into the modern socioeconomic system. After the introductory research on the ManaGlobal project, which funded the work presented in the other work packages, the economy of Senegal was presented in the book of Ulrike Schuerkens (2023). Another topic was to describe the organization of work in co-working spaces in Dakar. Next came the efforts made by the Senegalese authorities to facilitate the formalization of the so-called “informal” sector. The importance of these efforts was demonstrated, as were the many initiatives aimed at extending the formalization of businesses. Then were set out the practices of business schools in integrating African cultural traditions into their curricula. It was emphasized that these approaches are still at an embryonic stage.

The ManaGlobal project, with its distance learning modules, and its books, has built capacities consisting in new scientific literature and interesting case studies. These tools aim to provide elements for better understanding the hybridization of management practices within companies, analyses that can be used in business school teaching.

The second part of the research in Ulrike Schuerkens’ book (2023) has brought together case studies based on an analysis of the professional and personal careers of several entrepreneurs. These pieces of research show how these entrepreneurs have been able to make their businesses profitable. They reveal that certain sectors, which have been overlooked by major corporations, are now being invested in by the current generation in their forties or fifties. These companies are SMEs, often with two to five employees. Their field of activity is often related to the core subjects studied by their founders at universities or business schools. They enable their CEOs to ascend to the upper middle classes of their respective countries, while simultaneously advocating for a continual adaptation of their practices in response to the innovative nature of their businesses. We have also shown that the digital sector developed as a reaction to the confinements and social distancing measures imposed by the COVID-19 crisis, which had affected the economic situation of companies and the work of employees in Africa and the rest of the world.

The economic sector in question is critically significant not only for the present but also for the future, especially given the young demographic situation looking for alternatives to a job market where salaried positions are limited. The socio-professional integration of these young individuals represents a significant challenge in Africa, which is expected to be addressed through job-creating growth. Entrepreneurship is increasingly seen as a viable solution to the unemployment issue affecting a substantial portion of the population. Government programmes are actively supporting business start-ups through training and financial assistance, including loans and grants. These initiatives aim to enhance the viability of new businesses by subsidizing and supporting the endeavours of young entrepreneurs and facilitating their transition into the workforce. Vocational training is designed to align with market needs, thereby ensuring that the professional future of a significant part of the population relies on well-supported businesses capable of creating jobs, driving growth, fostering innovation, and initiating transformation. In countries like Senegal and Ghana, the dynamism of start-ups, particularly those established by returning emigrants, plays a pivotal role in national development.

2.10. Development and sustainability of new and lasting research collaborations resulting from the intersectoral and/or international secondments and the networking activities implemented.

The project had a considerable impact on all consortium members, by creating links and reinforcing scientific and academic cooperation between them. It should be remembered that the process of knowledge sharing, and the theoretical frame construction of the project relied on the promotion of staff mobility between the various partner institutions, to encourage the exchange of ideas and set up an international research network. The planned mobilities were carried out with a high completion rate, so that the project helped to develop relationships between the institutions (academics, enterprises, employer organizations) that will no doubt help to nurture their collaboration in the future.

Prior to the ManaGlobal project, links existed between certain members of the consortium, but the programme has enabled them to be formalized and nurtured through scientific exchanges. Partnership agreements have been signed, notably to enable future ERASMUS+-type student mobility programmes to be set up.

The secondments to the South and North realized major contributions. Firstly, secondees to the Global North shared their experiences with academics and practitioners in the North. This has improved their knowledge and understanding of the challenges associated with management in the context of developing countries. Similarly, senior researchers from the Global South shared knowledge with students from the North. Secondly, secondees from the North to the South shared their knowledge with researchers, businesspeople, and policy makers in the South. They have provided lectures, tutorials, and seminars to the audiences in the academic and non-academic communities. In addition, the secondments enabled secondees from the North to the South to gain knowledge and experience of the development context of management and business. Similarly, they also acquired knowledge and experience through field research. This has enabled an important number of publications of book chapters and journal papers.

Convinced of the project’s impact, the consortium members expressed their desire to continue the work at the closing ceremony of the final conference, through actions or projects to be defined soon. Several ideas were put forward, including the idea of setting up a journal to promote research into issues linked to the development of African societies, or that of establishing an annual conference cycle to ensure that the periodic meetings initiated by ManaGlobal continue. It was also proposed to create an African European scientific and professional associative network on management in African contexts: “International Association for Management Research in Africa”. This research group could play an important role in reflections on the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

2.11. Enhancing the potential and future career perspectives of staff members

On a personal level, the project also had a significant impact on the career development of participants. It must be emphasized that a good gender balance was achieved as a high number of female PhD students could take advantage of the staff exchange practices of the project. In addition to the support provided to doctoral students, who were able to carry out their research in better conditions and produce high-quality thesis, several experienced researchers noted a significant advance in their careers, as deans, professors or young scholars who could obtain university positions or reach higher career steps. Some have expressed their gratitude, saying that their participation in the ManaGlobal programme enabled them to have success in certain competitive exams, opening the way to higher positions within their institutions.

  • Concluding Remarks

We will discuss in these concluding remarks the role of science in society. As this presentation has shown, the impact of the ManaGlobal project was looked for since the submission of the project to the European Commission.  We have shown that the project has got an impact on the socioeconomic environment of African countries with a focus on entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs. We provided the socioeconomic system practice-relevant knowledge for innovation and orientation based on common research efforts. In fact, society in the form of economic actors has enriched the ManaGlobal project with non-scientific perspectives and experiences. This effort has become a new production of knowledge materialized in publications, conferences and distant learning modules.

Today’s call for impact-oriented research offers the opportunity of science-based new approaches. There are signs – not only from the European commission – that an impact-oriented turn of science is on the way. Indeed, this research – as in ManaGlobal – is transdisciplinary and requires efforts to overcome boundaries between science, socioeconomic actors and politics reunited around common action goals (Maasen, 2025: 11). This tendency must strive for acceptance and usability of the new knowledge and not only for the realization of research projects. The new social contract with science asks for the implementation of the socioeconomic impact of research so that scientific and socioeconomic impacts are joined and are shaped according subject-specific criteria and university-specific missions. The part of implementation of ManaGlobal was widely displayed in the grant agreement but only esquisses were given in this presentation. 

It is thus important for science and its subject cultures to shape a new relationship with society in accordance with its own norms and goals. Science must provide useful knowledge for the economy as in the case of ManaGlobal. Science and society are based on performance expectations that are in tension, but the participating actors must deal with these effects.

  • References

Boucher, Manuel (2025) “Le savant, le politique et la ‘recherche interventionnelle’. Portraits de chercheurs réflexifs engagés dans les champs social, politique et scientifique”, Sciences et actions sociales, 23: 1-7.

Hernandes, Valeria A. (2002) “Chercheur-décideur: Quelle synérgie entre champ politique et sciences sociales?”, Journal des anthropologues, 88-89: 139-149.

Kamdem, Emmanuel, Françoise Chevalier and Marielle A. Payaud (2020) La recherche enracinée en management. Paris: Editions EMS, collection Business Science Institute, 422 p.

Maasen, Sabine (2025) “Spannung, nicht aufzuheben: Partizipation aus wissenschaftssoziologischer Sicht”, Forschung und Lehre, 2: 8-11.

Mamman, Aminu, Mohamed Branine and Justice Bawole (guest editors) (2024) Special issue of the Africa Journal of Management: Towards understanding the African entrepreneur and their cultural context: Economic rationality and African value system. 10 (1).

Mamman, Aminu, Motolani Agbebi and Mohamed Branine (2023) It will take a global village to find cure for global pandemics: The Ubuntu Perspective. Third World Quarterly. Doi:10.1080/01436597.2022.2153663

Mamman, Aminu and Quian Wen (2021) “Examining the dominant models and theories of international staffing policies and practices through the lenses of the African context and Chinese multinational construction enterprises in Africa”, African Journal of Management, 7 (4): 465-488.

Schuerkens, Ulrike (ed.) (2023) Entreprises, entrepreneurs et travail au Sénégal. Paris: L’Harmattan, 290 p.

Schuerkens, Ulrike, Mohamed Branine and Aminu Mamman (eds) (2019) Pour une sociologie du management en Afrique et dans le monde arabe. Paris: L’Harmattan. 240 p.

Villette, Michel (ed.) (2022) Annales des Mines, Série Gérer & Comprendre, N°150, Special Issue: What do we know about African businesses?

Villette, Michel (2023) ”Faire des affaires en Afrique”, Annales des Mines, Série Gérer & Comprendre, N° 153, September.

Villette, Michel, Mohamed Branine and Mohamed El Bachir Wade (eds) (2024) Entreprises africaines, Vingt projets pour sortir du néo-colonialisme et du sous-développement. Paris: Presses des Mines, PSL. 285 p.

Weber, Max (1963) (1919) Le savant et le politique. Paris: Éd. Plon.

Blog: www.managlobal.hypotheses.Org/


[1] Acknowledgement: I would like to thank my colleagues, university professors and work package leaders Mohamed Branine, Michel Villette, Aminu Mamman and François Pichault for their contributions in the preparation of this report. This report was first presented during a secondment in May 2025 at the University of Torino, Italy with the HESPRI Staff Exchange project under Grant Agreement nº 101086224.


OpenEdition vous propose de citer ce billet de la manière suivante :
Ulrike Schuerkens (29 juillet 2025). ManaGlobal between Sciences and Politics: Research and its Socioeconomic Impact[1]. ManaGlobal : Globalized Governance Norms and Local Business Practices. Consulté le 14 avril 2026 à l’adresse https://doi.org/10.58079/14g23


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