**3. Method**

Conceptually, the chapter employed qualitative research approach to ground the applicability of Afrocentric approach to higher education leadership in Africa. This study adopted a qualitative research approach because of its flexibility in terms of data collection and analysis. Since the chapter is not empirical, documentary analysis and content analysis were used. In the context of this chapter, documentary data analysis was based on desktop and secondary data inclusive of books, book chapters, accredited articles, reports, and governments policy documents. In line with the topic of this chapter, the dominant search of literature was on higher education and university, Afrocentric leadership, Western vs. Afrocentric knowledge systems, managerialism, African scholarship. Moreover, the techniques and principles of content analysis were employed to assess the role of Afrocentric leadership in advancing African scholarship in higher education. Considering that this is the systematic literature review (SLR), Mengista et al. [43], data were analyzed and interpreted based on the thematic areas of African scholarship, Western vs. African knowledge systems, Afrocentric leadership, and African higher education. A systematic literature review (SLR) is known for being systematic research method, which is explicit, and reproducible in identifying, evaluating, and synthesizing the existing data [44]. As such, a systematic review is considered to be the key in the identification of all empirical evidence that fits the pre-specified inclusion criteria to answer a particular research question or hypothesis [45]. In this chapter, the systematic review allowed the authors to consult databases in order to find relevant articles on the subject matter. Thus, this chapter used the framework of Search, Appraisal, Synthesis, and Analysis (SALSA) as employed by Grant and Booth, [46] as a methodology to determine the search protocols to be followed when using systematic literature review.

Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar were the main databases utilized to research data for this chapter. **Table 1** reflects on the descriptors and databased used.

Literature review was conducted based on peer-reviewed articles from local and international journals and publications. ScienceDirect is an online collection of published scientific research operated by the publisher Gonçalves et al. [47] while Scopus is an international database of peer-reviewed publications from all over the world [48]. The third database used was Google scholar, which provides useful information not covered by other databases highlighted above. Apart from the articles obtained from the abovementioned databases, the chapter also relied on peer-reviewed books and book chapters on Afrocentric leadership and African knowledge systems.


#### **Table 1.**

*Descriptors and databases.*
