MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS EDUCATION IN AFRICA: A POST-COLONIAL PERSPECTIVE OF INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION

Business schools throughout the world are pursuing national and international validation by seeking accreditation such as AACSB, EQUIS, and/or AMBA. The issue of accreditation of African universities, in general, and of business schools, in particular, is only now beginning to be addressed on a continental level. There is also a growing concern about the quality of higher education in Africa. We examine international business school accreditation from a post-colonial theory perspective. We argue that simply applying Western accreditation standards in a post-colonial context does not address relevant African business problems, nor does it examine educational needs in this environment. Our discussion focuses on these issues as well as on recommendations to assist many, if not most, African business schools in meeting the needs of their stakeholders given the socioeconomic and cultural realities of Africa.