The 1980 to 2000 Context for Zimbabwean Companies

Abstract

A longitudinal multiple-case design was used to capture the experiences (in transformation) of four Zimbabwean companies spanning from 1980 when Zimbabwe attained its independence to 2000. The within case analysis prompted a need for deeper understanding of the context within which managers had to act in the four companies studied.

A further intensive literature search was done to appreciate the key Zimbabwean dimensions, regional dimensions and global dimensions that could have influenced the changes in the companies.

The context evidence confirmed the sixteen challenges of organizational transformation unearthed through the individual company cases.

This article is a contribution towards appreciating the social, political and historical context within which managers had to act in the four companies studied. The article should therefore be used alongside the individual case histories documented as other articles.