Data

Methodology

Methodology

The Africa Leadership Study was implemented by a team of senior research directors from five countries in coordination with Tyndale House. It was originally conceived as a resource for use in understanding the components that produce and shape leaders and organizations in Africa to address current circumstances and needs in an impactful and positive way.

This study focused on Angola, the Central African Republic, and Kenya to identify strategic understandings and opportunities for the development of Christian leaders in Lusophone, Francophone, and Anglophone Africa and to provide research-based resources for Africans in understanding current programs, practices, and patterns of leadership as a foundation for visioning and planning for the future. The research itself involved two major phases, with questionnaire research carried out from 2012 to 2013, and interview research carried out between 2013 and 2015.

Phase 1 Questionnaire Research

1.) A 93-item survey questionnaire, administered in four languages (English, French, Portuguese, and Swahili) was filled out by 8041 African Christians in three countries, as follows: 1783 Angolans, 2294 respondents from the Central African Republic, and 3964 Kenyans. The data was entered into SPSS for further analysis.

2.) The Phase 1 Research laid the groundwork for Phase 2 Interview Research, by eliciting names of Christian leaders and African-led Christian organizations deemed to be having most positive impact, and by eliciting evaluations of these people and organizations.

Phase 2 Interview Research

1.) For each country and based on the questionnaire data, lists were compiled of the top 25 pastors, the top 15-20 non-clergy leaders, and the top 25 Africa-led organizations with strategic impact, along with assessment & information on each.

2.) Using a format and interview process laid out in protocols prepared ahead of time, interviews were carried out with key selected leaders and were transcribed.

3.) In-depth 10-page reports were prepared on each organization and leader being featured, following an agreed upon consistent format as follows:

a.) Thirty-one reports on organizations (6 – Angola, 6 – CAR, 19 – Kenya)

b.) Sixteen reports on non-clergy leaders (3 – Angola, 5 – CAR,

8 – Kenya)

c.) Nine reports on leading pastors (3 – Angola, 2 – CAR, 4 – Kenya)

d.) Additional interviews were carried out in 2015 in CAR related to leadership in the context of violent conflict.

Summary:

Our research was based then primarily on two sets of original data, one part of that being questionnaire-based, and the other part interview-based. In addition to this data, we drew from other sorts of supplementary material. For example, many of the organizations we examined provided copies of official documents and reports for our research.