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Mancala board games and origins of entrepreneurship in Africa.

ABSTRACT: This study examines the correlational relationship between the historical playing of indigenous strategic board games (also called mancala) and the socio-economic complexity of African ethnic groups as well as the incidence of entrepreneurial pursuits. Anthropology literature suggests that these games may be associated with socio-economic complexity of the ethnic groups-the so-called games in culture hypothesis. I revisit this hypothesis with better data and motivated by anecdotal evidence, introduce a contemporary hypothesis, origins of entrepreneurship hypothesis-that descendants of societies that played complex mancala games are more likely to be engaged in non-farm self-employment today. I compile the first comprehensive database of mancala games in Africa matched to ancestral characteristics data, and for 18 African countries, to the Afrobarometer survey data. Using historical and contemporary data, I do not find evidence for either hypothesis. Despite the null results, I explore how related hypotheses and studies can build on the comprehensive mancala database.

SUBMITTER: Mkondiwa M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7561206 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Mancala board games and origins of entrepreneurship in Africa.

Mkondiwa Maxwell M

PloS one 20201015 10

This study examines the correlational relationship between the historical playing of indigenous strategic board games (also called mancala) and the socio-economic complexity of African ethnic groups as well as the incidence of entrepreneurial pursuits. Anthropology literature suggests that these games may be associated with socio-economic complexity of the ethnic groups-the so-called games in culture hypothesis. I revisit this hypothesis with better data and motivated by anecdotal evidence, intr ...[more]

PMID: 33057436

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Project description:BackgroundDespite the international endorsement of multidisciplinary tumor boards (MTBs) for breast cancer care, implementation is suboptimal worldwide, and evidence regarding their effectiveness in developing countries is lacking. We assessed the impact on survival and the cost-effectiveness of implementing an MTB in Mozambique, sub-Saharan Africa.Materials and methodsThis prospective cohort study included 205 patients with breast cancer diagnosed between January 2015 and August 2017 (98 before and 107 after MTB implementation), followed to November 2019. Pre- and post-MTB implementation subcohorts were compared for clinical characteristics, treatments, and overall survival. We used hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI), computed by Cox proportional hazards regression. The impact of MTB implementation on the cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) was estimated from the provider perspective.ResultsWe found no significant differences between pre- and post-MTB subcohorts regarding clinical characteristics or treatments received. Among patients with early breast cancer (stage 0-III; n = 163), the 3-year overall survival was 48.0% (95% CI, 35.9-59.1) in the pre-MTB and 73.0% (95% CI, 61.3-81.6) in the post-MTB subcohort; adjusted hazard ratio, 0.47 (95% CI, 0.27-0.81). The absolute 3-year mean cost increase was $119.83 per patient, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was $802.96 per QALY, corresponding to 1.6 times the gross domestic product of Mozambique.ConclusionThe implementation of a MTB in Mozambique led to a 53% mortality decrease among patients with early breast cancer, and it was cost-effective. These findings highlight the feasibility of implementing this strategy and the need for scaling-up MTBs in developing countries, as a way to improve patient outcomes.Implications for practiceCurrently, more than half of the deaths from breast cancer in the world occur in developing countries. Strategies that optimize care and that are adjusted for available resources are needed to improve the outcomes of patients with breast cancer in these regions. The discussion of cases at multidisciplinary tumor boards (MTBs) may improve survival outcomes, but implementation is suboptimal worldwide, and evidence regarding their effectiveness in developing countries is lacking. This study evaluated the impact of implementing an MTB on the care and survival of patients with breast cancer in Mozambique, sub-Saharan Africa and its cost-effectiveness in this low-income setting.

Dataset Information

Mancala board games and origins of entrepreneurship in Africa.

Publications

Mancala board games and origins of entrepreneurship in Africa.

Similar Datasets

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