Description

SYNOPSIS

Positioning Africa for the 21^st Century introduces the concept of think tanks to those not versed in it and suggests roles think tanks can play in the development of African countries. It takes the reader through a journey of policy and decision-making on the continent, and case studies the country of Botswana as an outlier in the region. Dr. Magara also case studies the East Asian countries of Malaysia, South Korea, and Singapore with regard to the role leadership and think tanks played in their rapid development. He delves into globalization, its impact on the continent and how African countries can reposition themselves to ride the globalization waves.  The book advocates for a different leadership paradigm from the one that characterized Africa in the last sixty years, emphasizing that in all situations, quality leadership is the game changer.  It explores various avenues for funding think tanks bearing in mind the peculiarities of the African continent. Positioning Africa for the 21^st Century is a clarion call for current and emerging African leaders to avoid mirroring the mistakes of the past six decades and rise to the challenge of taking Africa to its preferred future. With over 700 citations from over 280 sources, this well-researched book is a must-read for policy and decision makers on the continent, students and practitioners of leadership and think tanks, and those with interest in the preferred future of Africa.