Research at Henley Business School is driven by a singular ambition: to build a better Africa. We focus on the most pressing issues facing African business and society, injecting practical meaning into every project and piece of thought leadership we undertake. By collaborating across the spectrum of the African business community, we turn innovative ideas into credible, accessible research. Our goal is to add a sharp, practical, African perspective to the global conversation – because the challenges we are wrestling with on the African continent are often early versions of global problems. Browse our annual research magazines for sharp, digestible insights into critical challenges facing the continent, and how we can tackle these.
It has never been more essential for responsible researchers and students of both business and human behaviour to demonstrate a commitment to knowledge, truth, and the sharing of ideas. Our third edition reflects this urgency.
Making decisions across diverse African markets requires more than generic global data; it demands insights generated on the ground. Henley research serves as an active commercial resource, translating the distinct dynamics of the continent’s business landscape into actionable strategic intelligence. Our work provides rigorous, localised frameworks designed to challenge conventional assumptions and guide your organisation’s next move. Explore our full ecosystem of intelligence from white papers, teaching case studies, and research papers to published articles and conference proceedings to find the specific insights you need today.
By treating marketing with the same rigour as applied, for example, to finance, leadership can ensure greater accountability, stronger alignment with organisational goals, and more resilient market performance.
Our ambition as a business school is to build a better Africa. In line with this focus, our research output must seek to inject meaning into every project and thought leadership piece we undertake. We believe in producing research that addresses the most pressing issues facing African business and society. We believe in supporting innovative thinking that has the potential to transform and inspire.
Women-led small businesses warrant increased recognition and support. Despite their significant contribution to society and the economy, they face considerable funding difficulties, a lack of essential business skills, and discrimination in a male-dominated marketplace.
There is no significant link found between climate disclosures and shareholder wealth enhancement, suggesting that while climate strategies are crucial for sustainability, their direct effects on shareholder wealth in the JSE/Financial Times Stock Exchange 40 context are limited.
Efficient IT integration after acquiring a new M&A organisation is crucial for minimising disruptions and ensuring business continuity, allowing for quick realisation of intended synergies.
Stalled or failed mergers and acquisitions have major implications for finances, trust in the organisation, and employee morale. To speed up the process, two crucial factors emerge: communication and cross-functional collaboration, which can help detect and resolve challenges in a timely manner.
NPOs are often viewed narrowly as charitable entities that do good work for society but don’t contribute significantly to the economy. This study, commissioned by the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s NPO Portfolio in consultation, widens this lens, demonstrating the significant economic impact that NPOs in the Western Cape are having on key economic indicators, including employment, revenue generation, and skills development.
Is Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) hampering or helping South African organisations? This research report examines managers’ perceptions of the impact of B-BBEE on business performance in South Africa, based on a mixed-methods study with 527 survey respondents and 10 in-depth interviews conducted in late 2025.
Broader expectations are being placed on organisations to help address social challenges and to contribute towards community upliftment and environmental stewardship. In this context, this study explores how fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) retail stores in South Africa, as the country’s second-largest employer, are meeting these expectations.
Nearly 80% of South African small businesses fail, but Roska Artisan Ice Cream proved passion can beat the odds. What began as a lockdown nostalgia project in a dining room is now an award-winning brand. This case study outlines the key lessons behind their sweet success.
When Dr Ridwan Mia used pioneering stem-cell technology to save burn victim Pippie Kruger, he faced intense industry resistance. This case study asks the difficult questions in examining how surgical leadership requires balancing cutting-edge medical innovation with human connection, empathy, and strong team rapport.
Andrew Leeuw built Sumting Fresh into an award-winning street food giant, only to see it slump amidst operational strain and burnout. This penetrating case study explores Leeuw’s rollercoaster journey, exposing the harsh realities of South African entrepreneurship and the critical need for emotional resilience and structured support.
It has never been more essential for responsible researchers and students of both business and human behaviour to demonstrate a commitment to knowledge, truth, and the sharing of ideas. Our third edition reflects this urgency.
Immerse yourself in fresh perspectives and thought leadership that puts Africa's challenges at the heart of global discourse. Research should spark debate and drive real-world solutions, and our second research magazine delivers!
As an international business school with a heart in Africa, Henley is uniquely positioned to bring fresh, independent voices into the classroom and provide critical industry insights. Stop scrolling, start understanding.
The Renewal Foundation sponsors an annual award for the best Henley Management Research Challenge (MRC) project to drive business solutions for the climate and ecological crisis. Every year, dozens of MBA students embark on the MRC, turning their own organisations into living laboratories and applying what they've learned on the MBA to a high-stakes, real-world challenge. The resulting body of research is powerful and brimming with actionable ideas designed to drive systemic impact across Africa and beyond.
Judges evaluate projects based on six criteria:
1) Does the project have the potential to be scaled up and sustained over time?
2) Can the project show measurable positive benefit for one or more of the following: the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, including rivers, lakes, and oceans, biodiversity, and/or soil and sustainable agriculture?
3) How many parts of the organisation does the project engage?
4) Can the project be written up and published in a way that will inspire others?
5) Does it offer a new and original approach or methodology?
6) Can the project change how human beings are thinking, being and acting in relation to the wider ecology?
True to our mission – we build the people who build the businesses that build Africa – our diverse academics and practitioners work at the forefront of management practice. We foster sense-making capabilities that directly benefit our students, clients, partners, and society. Our growing research output benefits from the targeted support we provide to researchers to hone their research, writing, and publishing skills to produce relevant and insightful research that advances African knowledge and helps our students learn better.
Recent publications include an article published by E Van Tonder and D Petzer (2022) in European Business Review, entitled 'Factors promoting customer citizenship behaviours and the moderating role of self-monitoring: a study of ride-hailing services', and an article in the International Journal of Anthropology, by L Spini and A Innes. (2022): 'Johnny Clegg: a polycultural anthropologist on stage for social justice'.
Pro Dean Research and Doctoral Programmes
Research Manager
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