Frederick Chiluba. Some "white Zambians" were integrally involved as well. White Zambians were residents born into European families when the country was Northern Rhodesia. They did not, however, automatically become Zambian citizens.
Zambia on World Bank contracts during the lengthy ZCCM privatization process. He, in turn, gave me entree to a number of longer-term Zambian residents (black and white) who provided particularly valuable historical information. In a testimony to the power of Christian churches within Zambian society interviews with Presidents Kaunda and Chiluba were obtained through the Zambian Anglican Council. In virtually all cases, I was warmly received and many informants in this group expressed genuine interest in and sympathy for the research project.
Information gathering techniques varied but were generally done under more formal conditions than was the case for the workforce/popular group. Interviews usually took place in informants' offices. And, in general, it was easier for me to talk with executives and managers with an audiotape recorder running than it was with members of the general Zambian populace.7 Informants were always asked permission to be tape-recorded and, in some instances, either refused or asked that the machine be turned off when discussing particularly sensitive material. Such information included candid reflections on historical and cultural issues; details regarding corporate procedures and policies; information on specific interactions with individuals and the like that could put the speakers at professional and personal risk if repeated openly. Usually, I was able to have follow-on meetings with executives and managers to clarify information or ask further questions. A number of managers also provided secondary checks and additional information via email or telephone.
Very rarely did information gathering from the executive/managerial group take place in social settings.
When the atmosphere was more casual, informants were still aware that they were participating in the study.
7 A notable exception to this were the gatherings, or insakas in Chingola, where our local contact would remind us to run the tape player if we forgot to put it on! Reasons for this disparity of technique most likely had to do with greater commonality between my background, socio-economic status, and/or work experience and the backgrounds of executives and managers.
The appendices contain a list of dates and job classifications for those individuals with whom I conducted formal interviews or meetings.
In all cases, except for the interviews with Zambia's two past presidents, sources were promised confidentiality. For this reason, no names of executives or managers or their specific titles appear in connection with insights I gained from them. Because Presidents Kaunda and Chiluba are public figures and our discussions centered on matters of public record, I did not offer them confidentiality nor did they request it. Further, because the international mining community is comparatively small, I have not included copies of transcripts from interviews with executives/managers in the appendices nor have I written biographical sketches of key informants as is the case for the workforce/popular group.
Exceptions to this rule are Presidents Kaunda and Chiluba; excerpts from their interviews do appear in the appendices.
Extended direct quotations from executives and managers that appear in the text were taken from taped conversations. Shorter direct quotes of a sentence or phrase were either taken from tapes or from notes I took during interviews. To ensure accuracy, I emailed specific quotes plus the context in which they were to appear back to the speakers so they could confirm, edit, or even refuse permission to use the material. No one refused permission. Several did edit what they had previously said. Usually these edits simply adapted their words from a less formal, conversational style to one more suitable for written work. On only one occasion did a manager add to what he said so substantively that it changed the tone of his earlier remarks. On only one occasion did a manager excise
This decision was based primarily on the desire to protect my sources' confidentiality. It was also done on the assumption that any Westerner wishing to replicate this study or to check its findings would have an easier time obtaining expatriate managerial/executive contacts than local contacts.
something that subtly changed the tone of what he had said in conversation. In neither case, however, did these changes alter the statements' overall meanings.
In addition to all the semi-structured interviews conducted, I was able to get excellent first hand information in other ways. These included five tours of underground mining operations (four in Zambia's copper mines and one in Nova Scotia's coal mines) and three of surface operations as well as attendance at a few key corporate or industry functions.
Once I began drafting material, I also sought review and accuracy checking from members of the executive/managerial group. Copies of early draft chapters went to the mine official who acted as my advisor and to another expatriate manager at the same company.
This work is by no means, however, a case study of that specific company. Two other members of the executive/managerial group reviewed early drafts of material and provided helpful corrections. One was the independent consultant mentioned above and an American.
The other was a former member of ZCCM's senior management and a Zambian.