COLONIAL LEGACIES AND THE EPISTEMIC STRUCTURE OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION

EVIDENCE FROM POSTCOLONIAL INSTITUTIONS FROM FORMER COLONIES

Abstract

This study investigates the persistence of colonial influences in management education across formerly colonised countries by assessing how curriculum content, pedagogical approaches, and institutional cultures perpetuate Eurocentric norms. Drawing on a cross-sectional survey of 550 respondents from higher education institutions in Ghana, India, and Jamaica, the study employs Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Quantile Regression to examine the determinants of a composite Colonial Influence Index (CII). Key findings reveal that reliance on hierarchical pedagogical practices, Western-centric curricula, and colonial-era institutional cultures are significantly and positively associated with higher perceived colonial influence in management education. Conversely, accreditation pressures are found to mitigate these effects to some extent, although they may also reinforce external dependency. Country-specific effects further demonstrate that colonial influence manifests unevenly, with Jamaica exhibiting significantly lower scores relative to Ghana and India. The study recommends context-sensitive decolonial reforms, including participatory pedagogy, curriculum indigenisation, and epistemic alignment of accreditation systems. These results carry significant implications for educational policy, institutional leadership, and global efforts toward epistemic justice and inclusivity in management education.