Answer to Question #323067 in Sociology for akawa

Question

1)     Are some politicians in Africa viewed as mini god(s)? If so, how can we begin to change the way our leaders lead? (10)

2)     How does cultural setting of the African people contribute to public sector corruption tendencies? 

Answer 1

1. Yes, some African leaders have misinterpreted the international community's desire for stability and continuity as an indication that they must remain in office permanently. The most common way for extending presidential term limits is constitutional tampering.

The vast youth population in Africa provides a unique chance to shape the formation of a new generation of leaders. However, the fact is that the continent's elite class tends to take existing curriculum for leadership development through pricey executive education programs in business schools, whose costs are out of reach for the vast majority of the populace. In the developing world, there is a need to democratize the leadership development process. The rapid use of mobile technologies could be a benefit.

2) Cultural inclinations and socialization processes frequently drive public officials to engage in behaviors that may be considered corrupt. By these two unrivaled demands, the public official is forced to walk on a tightrope, which frequently leads to ethical dilemmas and conflicts of interest. Organizations and individuals tend to accept and perpetuate corruption by rationalizing and justifying their conduct as non-criminal, justified, or a result of circumstances they can't control or contain. Different conceptions and assessments of corruption are valuable because they tend to provide a variety of analytical tools for conceptualizing and tackling the phenomena from various angles.