Abstract
The volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous conditions in the business environment bring about challenges when it comes to managing organizations, as managers have to find new ways of maintaining profitability despite said conditions. Management schools can play a significant role of providing relevant educational content to deal with the challenges that organizations are facing. Therefore, this study investigated the current and future management challenges and developmental needs in South Africa. A small-scale empirical research using interviews with 13 executives was conducted to get an in-depth understanding of the challenges and developmental needs. The findings showed that the main challenges for organizations are developing agility, building internal capabilities, improving innovation and remaining profitable by focusing on the basics of business. In order to achieve that, companies need to develop soft skills, strategic foresight and acquire a transdisciplinary approach to management. Regarding the future, organizations will be faced with uncertainty, digitalization, innovation, a globalized workforce and demand for specialized skills. This study makes recommendations to both business schools and businesses.
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Mamabolo, M.A. (2018). Management and Leadership Development Needs: The Case of South Africa. In: Purg, D., Braček Lalić, A., Pope, J. (eds) Business and Society. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78855-5_12
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