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Stakeholder Perceptions of Influences on the Development of Leaders in Malawi

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Stakeholder Perceptions of Influences on the Development of Leaders in Malawi North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Aggie Digital Collections and Scholarship Dissertations Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2014 Now It’s Our Time To Eat! Stakeholder Perceptions of Influences on the Development of Leaders in Malawi Kanton T. Reynolds North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digital.library.ncat.edu/dissertations Recommended Citation Reynolds, Kanton T., "Now It’s Our Time To Eat! Stakeholder Perceptions of Influences on the Development of Leaders in Malawi" (2014). Dissertations. 60. https://digital.library.ncat.edu/dissertations/60 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Electronic Theses and Dissertations at Aggie Digital Collections and Scholarship. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Aggie Digital Collections and Scholarship. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Now It’s Our Time To Eat! Stakeholder Perceptions of Influences on the Development of Leaders in Malawi Kanton T. Reynolds North Carolina A&T State University A dissertation submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department: Leadership Studies Major: Leadership Studies Major Professor: Dr. Chi Anyansi-Archibong Greensboro, North Carolina 2014 i The Graduate School North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University This is to certify that the Doctoral Dissertation of Kanton T. Reynolds has met the dissertation requirements of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Greensboro, North Carolina 2014 Approved by: Dr. Chi Anyansi-Archibong Dr. Elizabeth A. Barber Major Professor Committee Member Dr. Daniel Miller Dr. Olen Cole, Jr. Committee Member Committee Member Dr. Comfort Okpala Dr. Owen Kalinga Department Chair Committee Member Dr. Sanjiv Sarin Dean, The Graduate School ii © Copyright by Kanton T. Reynolds 2014 iii Biographical Sketch Kanton T. Reynolds is a native of Columbia, South Carolina and received his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from North Carolina State University, where he was also initiated into Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated and later became a life member of the organization. After a brief stint as an Industrial Engineer at the Delco Chassis Division of the General Motors Corporation (GM), Mr. Reynolds matriculated to North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University where he obtained a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering in December 1997. In September 2005, Mr. Reynolds completed his Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kenan-Flagler Business School. Mr. Reynolds is employed by International Business Machines (IBM) where has worked in variety of roles with nearly 17 years of service. Currently, Mr. Reynolds holds the title of Senior Manager and is responsible for Performance Verification and Design Guidance within the Systems and Technology Group where he leads a group of twelve technical professionals. Mr. Reynolds is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and a certified Project Management Professional (PMP®) and Six Sigma Green Belt (CSSGB). iv Dedication To my mother Diana B. Reynolds, who has persevered through her medical issues, and while her stroke may have impacted her motor skills it has not affected her determination, resolve, or joyful spirit. Also, to my father, Robert G. Reynolds, who taught me the value of hard work and its ability to trump talent or skill every single time. My nephews, Reynolds and Carson who patiently waited until ‘Uncle Kanton’ was done with his studies so we could have fun! To my sister Jocelyn & my brother-in-law Mandrile, when I had nowhere else to go and no one else who believed in me, you were always there and supportive. To my brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, when I didn’t have anyone else to turn to you lifted me up toward the light. So many people told me I could not be successful, that I wasn’t smart enough to be an engineer (so I did it twice!) or I wasn’t good enough to be a leader at the world’s largest technology company or that an MBA from a top-25 business school was certainly out of my reach and of course, that I could not possibly ever earn a Ph.D. To all of you, this work is respectfully dedicated. Thank you so very much for the motivation! If you live your life with the simply philosophy that you should always “enjoy enough success to keep you striving, enough failure to keep you humble, enough grace to keep you grateful and enough gratitude to pass on your blessings”; and you are fortunate enough to move through each of these phases slightly humbled but infinitely wiser, then you will have truly transcended the masses. God bless one and all! v Acknowledgements I am exceedingly grateful for all the assistance and support I received in this endeavor. For anyone I leave out, please know that your contribution was recognized and appreciated. From the beginning of my matriculation into this program, my fraternity brother Dr. Everett B. Ward welcomed me with open arms and ensured that I was encouraged and prepared. Dr. Toni P. Bradsher was always timely with sisterly guidance and support. Dr. Elizabeth Barber introduced me to Malawi and got me immersed into the culture while Dr. Chi Archibong stepped up and delivered a brilliant performance as my chair, orchestrating me through the final stages of the process despite several roadblocks. Dr. Owen Kalinga proved to be an invaluable addition to my committee after the untimely death of Dr. Thomas Smith. My carpool and cohort members Cindy Love and Paula Borden kept me focused along the way. Also, the staff of the United States Embassy – Lilongwe, especially Ambassador Jeanine Jackson and Economic Officer Heather Dresser who gave me the bandwidth to conduct my research while an intern during summer 2013, Craig Anderson who offered me the position, and Neda Brown for her advice and assistance. Oliver Pierson of the Millennium Challenge Corporation who loaned me his vehicle the last ten days I was in Malawi which allowed me to attend the NICE Stakeholders Conference where I secured several of the interviews that were included in this work. Dr. Sarita Jackson, Dr. Peter VonDoepp, and Dr. Rita Edozie, who all had a hand in guiding me as I was getting started, along with Dr. Joey Power, Dr. Patricia Kelly and Dr. Lisa Gilman who provided access to contacts. Annie Fletcher and Limbani Banda for their incredible generosity. To all of my writing partners and peer mentors but most especially Margaret Brunson, Trinnette Cooper, Dorian Davis, Jameta Barlow, Natalie Baucum, Dr. Shafny Grays, Tanya Ayscue, and Anna West. Thank you one and all! vi Table of Contents List of Figures................................................................................................................................ xi List of Tables ................................................................................................................................ xii Abstract........................................................................................................................................... 2 CHAPTER 1 Tracing Stakeholder Perceptions on Sustainable Leadership in Malawi ............................................................................................................................................ 3 1.1 A Contested Context.......................................................................................................... 3 1.2 Theoretical Orientation...................................................................................................... 7 1.3 Purpose of the Study.......................................................................................................... 8 1.4 Research Focus.................................................................................................................. 9 1.5 Definition of Terms ......................................................................................................... 11 1.6 Limitations of the Study .................................................................................................. 15 1.7 Significance ..................................................................................................................... 17 1.8 Summary.......................................................................................................................... 18 CHAPTER 2 Internal Influences on Sustainable Leadership in Malawi...................................... 20 2.1 Scholarly Activism .......................................................................................................... 22 2.2 The Catholic Bishops’ 1992 Lenten Pastoral Letter........................................................ 26 2.3 Urban Versus Rural Polities ............................................................................................ 29 2.4 Language and Ethnic Groups .......................................................................................... 32 CHAPTER 3 External Influences on Sustainable Leadership in Malawi..................................... 38 3.1 Socio-Economic and Cultural Influences........................................................................ 39 3.2 Donor Nations and Non-Governmental Organizations ................................................... 41 3.3 Expatriates and Indigenous Non-Governmental Organization
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