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Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to provide organization leaders and managers with an understanding of transformative operations as a practical approach to successfully navigate chaotic business environments in Africa. Methodology: The researcher conducted a review of available academic literature, journals, research findings, authoritative policy documents, library books and online business publications related to emergent transformative leadership theory, ubuntu values, organization performance and environmental turbulence in the business context. The author used a thematic analysis of text, qualitative interpretivism of published information and grounded theory to develop a conceptual framework to guide future research in the field. Findings: The author examined modern societal and scholarly calls for transformative leadership as a suitable model to address the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous conditions of a chaotic global environment in the 21st century. The literature and empirical research review suggest that implementing transformative operations, alongside practicing ubuntu values, equips organizations to navigate a strategic path through turbulent conditions. These approaches secure a business organization’s survival, sustainability, profitability and market leadership. The author proposes that leading organization performance in an evolving environment is neither a linear process nor a simple planning routine. Rather, it is a transcendent approach to navigating immediate, disruptive, short, medium and long-term challenges to arrive at desired goals. In the process, organizations change, adapt, innovate and transform themselves in order to thrive in the face of evolving environmental conditions. The study proposes a conceptual model for further empirical research on the impact of transformative operations on organization performance. Recommendations: The study recommend leaders and managers to 1) adopt transformative operations as a strategy to successfully navigate environmental turbulence, 2) to harness the free social energy available in the ubuntu philosophy to leverage institutional performance in public and private business in Africa, 3) use environmental mapping to configure and navigate surrounding force fields, 4) adopt additional performance measures, alongside financial results, to provide a wholistic picture of business success. And finally, the study invite researchers to conduct empirical tests to evaluate the efficacy of the conceptual framework.

Purpose: The global outbreak of the COVID-19 virus forced governments across Africa to impose major health, travel and trade restrictions at home to protect their citizens from the pandemic. These measures caused a dampening impact on conventional social and business activity forcing organizations to rethink, redraw and reset their operations to remain functional, viable and sustainable. The aim of this study was to show that the pandemic driven changes in the business environment, though disruptive in nature, essentially enabled businesses to acquire a new set of survival and success competencies to thrive in the foreseeable future. Methodology: This study used paper reviews, research journal findings, academic papers, and online business publications that tracked business responses to the pandemic. The author used a thematic analysis of text and descriptive statistics to analyze data on the major changes businesses have made in response to the pandemic. Findings: The results indicated that business activities were severely affected by the onset of the pandemic. The pandemic also disrupted conventional business strategy and forced companies to review their operations in the light of challenges of continuing business in the COVID-19 environment. While short term survival measures included laying off staff and cutting back on overhead costs, business quickly embarked on medium plans to re-engineer business operations using online service technology to reach consumers under lockdown conditions. However, businesses have gone further to invest in digital transformation not only to survive the pandemic, but also to ensure their profitability and long-term success. In the light of these developments businesses have reset their activities under five themes; structure, strategy, staffing, service and sustainability. The author argues that reset changes are likely to become institutionalized as businesses carry forward their learning experience into their culture. The business community is also expected to pursue the opportunities created by the pandemic to critically define and differentiate between core business activity and non-essential engagements. Society has undergone substantive transformation over the pandemic season and expects organizations to respond and adapt accordingly. Recommendations: Operational and start up organizations should attune their business to the mental and experiential reset in customer expectations brought about by the pandemic. Businesses need to provide meaningful consumer value without over dependence on high cost overhead infrastructure such as expansive corporate offices, centralized staffing and profit draining procurement and distribution.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to draw attention of election managers in Africa to the negative impact of voter apathy on poll outcomes. It encourages all eligible voters to cast their vote in democratic elections. The instances of contested elections, poor governance, election of ineffective leadership and civic violence could be avoided if the electorate came out in full to give voice to the will of the people. Methodology: The researcher reviewed published literature discussing the performance of postcolonial democracy of independent nations across Africa. With specific reference to academic journals, electoral documents capturing voting patterns and historical records, the researcher uses descriptive statistics and thematic analyses of texts to highlight the effects voter apathy has on national leadership and governance. Findings: Voter apathy compromises the expression of the will of the people and causes an erosion of citizen commitment to social responsibility. It also leads to the emergence of apathetic leadership and weak accountability of government institutions following general elections. The researcher suggests that voter apathy is one of the reasons for civil unrest, passage of unpalatable legislation and election of ineffective leaders. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The researcher calls for democratic governments and electoral bodies in Africa to note, examine and act to preempt the negative impact of voter apathy on election outcomes. Voters are called upon not to presume that a democratic election process will automatically guarantee effective governance outcomes without their participation. The paper also recommends that the process of voter empowerment should be formalized in electoral practice, policy and procedure.

This paper examines the call for transformative leadership in the 21st century. It explores recent published articles on the subject matter in order to establish the expectations of a transformative leader. The turn of the century heralded a call for the adoption of a transformative agenda on the African continent. Nonetheless, the turbulent political, dynamic economic shifts and disruptive global events, such as posed by COVID-19, call for a new form of leadership to tackle these unconventional challenges. As an emerging area of study, transformative leadership is described and interpreted differently by leaders all over the world. This author reviews articles published in 2010 and later, to collate current perspectives and theory to equip leaders with a one stop reference document on the subject matter. The author answers the all-important question of, what do transformative leaders do? According to this study, transformative leaders are expected to do four important things namely; renew institutional vision and performance, advocate for ethical social advancement, empower individuals to make meaningful contribution to corporate goals, and sacrificially commit to realize the interests of those they serve. The paper equips policy makers, institutional leaders and business managers with insights on transformative leadership ethos and its potency to secure the benefits of ethical transformation for the well-being of wider society. Key words: Transformative leadership, 21st Century leadership, transformative leaders, leadership styles, leadership ethos.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted market trading activity around the world. The pandemic has disabled supply chains and forced businesses to look for pragmatic ways to keep their doors open. Companies have suspended business commitments citing the force majeure clause. The resulting tension in companies is a hotbed for rising confusion and turmoil. With businesses facing imminent closure and potentially acrimonious court cases, pragmatic businesses have called for round table talks with stakeholders to resolve the crisis. This review suggests that the sensitive uses of conflict management and negotiation skills are crucial to obtaining shared responsibility agreements. Empathy, gently invoking a social contract and deep conversations are helping companies successfully navigate a path through this unprecedented season. Key words: Conflict, conversations, social contract, Covid-19, force majeure, new normal, share-share outcomes, 21st Century leadership.

Business transformation initiatives update a company’s production methods and aim to ensure it operates more efficiently. However, the author suggests that a reactive, piece meal approach to needed change relegates a company to lagging behind its market and stagnates its growth. A proactive, holistic approach to business transformation ensures that a company is attuned to its evolving market environment. It secures the long term the survival, sustainability and success of a company. Findings from this study suggest that customer focus, transformative strategy, ethical practices and well executed growth metrics are essential for successful business transformation. The study shows that transformative leaders step away from limited competitor driven tactics to focus on securing long term growth, superior service delivery and stakeholder satisfaction. These companies use technology to unlock new markets and engage in open collaboration with their customers to create valuable new products. The study reviews metadata drawn from published interviews with transformative CEOs to derive the rules of business transformation. While there are many business development options to choose from in the 21st century, the author challenges company management teams to rethink their company strategy and adopt the essential rules of business transformation to secure their long term survival and success. The study suggests that business transformation is not about making a profit from a bottom-line business plan. Rather, it is about taking the lid off performance, ensuring company sustainability and relevance while fulfilling stakeholder expectations, today and into the future. Key words: Transformative strategy, business transformation, ethical leadership, transformative leadership, sustainable performance, business rules, 21st Century.