[FoME] CfP: Ownership Structures and Managerial Challenges in the African Media and Telecommunications Sectors

[lisa.garbe at posteo.de]

Call for Papers for the 2nd International conference on Media 
Development and Sustainability in Africa

General information and format of the conference
The second conference on media development and sustainability addresses 
ownership structures and managerial practices within the 
telecommunications and media sectors in Africa. The conference seeks to 
not only advance research in the field but also to stimulate a 
constructive dialogue between practitioners and academics. Therefore, it 
dedicates one day to an academic workshop and one day to professional 
contributions.
The advertised event builds on the first conference on media development 
and sustainability that took place in 2015 at the University of 
Neuchâtel. Bringing together both academic researchers and media 
professionals in order to discuss possible interdependences between the 
challenges of raising African media and the investment strategies of 
Western media outlets in Africa turned out to be an extremely fruitful 
and stimulating experience, hence this invitation to continue this 
endeavor.

Objectives of the conference
The conference aims at investigating the impact of varying foreign 
ownership and managerial practices on (a) media and telecommunications 
policies, and (b) democratic and economic development in African 
countries.

For more information see here: http://www.unine.ch/africamedia/home.html

Proposed research topics and submission guidelines
We are particularly interested in theory-based and empirically sound 
submissions related to the conference theme. With a view to 
telecommunications and media in African countries, research topics 
include but are not limited to:
- ownership structures/ foreign direct investment (FDI) and political 
and economic developments
- ownership structures/ FDI strategies and effects on sectoral 
development, including investment in advanced services needed by digital 
media players and diffusion of social media, gaming etc.
- ownership structures/ FDI strategies and local/indigenous language 
media development
- ownership structures/ FDI strategies and human resource management 
practices
- ownership structures/ FDI strategies and human capital development
- ownership structures/ FDI strategies and managerial and digital 
competence development
- managerial and organizational challenges of FDI
- ownership structures/ FDI strategies and convergence.
To enrich the debate we further welcome contributions by practitioners 
that describe, analyze and explain specific cases/experiences related to 
the above mentioned domains.
After the conference authors of selected submissions will have the 
opportunity to submit their full manuscript for publication as part of a 
special issue of a journal or in an edited conference volume.

Timeline
- Please send your abstract (max. 500 word) describing the main research 
question, theoretical framework, research method, expected outcomes and 
relation with the topics addressed in this call to 
cinzia.dalzotto at unine.ch by June 10, 2018.
- Notifications of acceptance will be sent out on June 30, 2018.
- Full papers will be due by September 30, 2018. Conference organization 
and contact

Conference organizers
Cinzia Dal Zotto with Aicha Hammami and Hatem Gabsi, Enterprise 
Institute, University of Neuchâtel
Conference program committee
- Cinzia Dal Zotto, Aicha Hammami and Hatem Gabsi, University of 
Neuchâtel
- Tina Freyburg, Lisa Garbe and Veronique Wavre, University of St. 
Gallen.

Sponsors
- University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- Swiss Network for International Studies, Geneva, Switzerland
Contact
If you have any questions, please contact cinzia.dalzotto at unine.ch or 
aicha.hammami at unine.ch