Fungai Chigwendere, Ph.D.
About Fungai Chigwendere, Ph.D.
Fungai Chigwendere, Ph.D., serves as the Research Director at Spencer Stuart in South Africa, where he has worked since 2021. He holds a Ph.D. in Management with a focus on Intercultural Management from Rhodes University and has extensive experience in research and consultancy across various organizations.
Work at Spencer Stuart
Fungai Chigwendere serves as Research Director at Spencer Stuart in South Africa since 2021. Prior to this role, he held the position of Associate at the same firm from 2018 to 2020. His responsibilities include overseeing research initiatives and contributing to multi-country collaborative projects. His experience at Spencer Stuart spans a total of four years, during which he has engaged in various research activities that align with the firm's global operations.
Education and Expertise
Fungai Chigwendere holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Management with a focus on Cross-Cultural and Intercultural Management from Rhodes University, completed from 2013 to 2018. He also earned a Master of Science in Management Research from Aston University between 1998 and 2000. His undergraduate studies were completed at the University of Zimbabwe, where he obtained a Bachelor's degree in Business Studies with a marketing major from 1994 to 1996. His academic background supports his expertise in intercultural communication and management.
Professional Background
Fungai Chigwendere has a diverse professional background, having worked in various roles across multiple organizations. He was a Market Research Analyst at Adcorp Holdings Limited from 2013 to 2017 and served as a Franchise Consultant at Franchising Plus from 2008 to 2011. Additionally, he worked as a Research Specialist at N'lighten from 2011 to 2013. His career reflects a strong focus on research and analysis within the South African context.
Research Contributions
Fungai Chigwendere has made significant contributions to the field of intercultural communication through his academic research. He introduced the Intercultural Communication Congruence (IC congruence) theory in his PhD thesis and proposed a hybrid intercultural communication congruence (HICC) framework aimed at enhancing communication in Sino-African organizational contexts. He has also participated in local and international academic conferences, contributing to several publications both individually and as part of a team.
Global Exposure and Recognition
Fungai Chigwendere has gained global exposure through his work in a firm operating in over 30 countries, as well as through his studies and travels across the UK, USA, Italy, Australia, and several African nations. His contributions to various projects have been acknowledged with awards in his current and previous roles, highlighting his impact in the field of research and intercultural management.