“I AM BECAUSE WE ARE”Ubuntu is a traditional African philosophy which embodies the beliefs, values, and behaviors of a large majority of the South African population and provides an understanding of each one’s humanity in relation with the world. According to Ubuntu there is a bond that links all human beings and through interaction is that people really get to discover the human qualities. Zulus say “a person is a person through other persons” what in essence means that each person affirms his humanity when he is able to acknowledge other’s humanity.
The South African Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu describes Ubuntu as: "It is the essence of being human. I am human because I belong. It speaks about wholeness, it speaks about compassion... The quality of Ubuntu gives people resilience, enabling them to survive and emerge still human despite all efforts to dehumanize them."
Ubuntu gains a lot of importance at the workplace because it can correctly guide the development of managerial activities if the organization is able to understand that:
§ The collective must be in first place, it has preeminence.
§ In order to bring cohesion to teams and develop good teamwork it is important to focus on similarities. Ubuntu simultaneously supports cooperation and competitiveness.
§ Authority comes with age.
§ Treat others as members of your own family, with kindness, compassion, and humility. Such a cordial regard will likely engender respect, deference, and compliance from those with whom a manager works.
§ The decision making is a circular process which is influences by every aspect of the society
§ Take the proper time to do things; it is important not rushing into decisions
§ Focus on harmony and continuity is important.
§ Hiring relatives is not considered nepotism but a plus, because no one can be more trusted than one’s relatives.
§ Recognize the importance of kinship ties in the workplace, in formulating company policies such as recruitment, placement, promotion, transfer, reward, discipline, and even retirement.
§ Spirituality brings out the best qualities in humans.
§ Sustainable competitive advantage comes from strong loyalty to group goals in Ubuntu.
Even though Ubuntu sometimes diverge completely from contemporary management beliefs, it can be said that Ubuntu touches every aspect of the organization since is a deeply rooted philosophy that can be applied to every single aspect; incorporating Ubuntu to corporate practices can create a huge competitive advantage and prevent the company from facing problems that can be avoided by really understanding employees: “It is those organizations that can match their corporate strategies, policies, and procedures with the values and beliefs of local communities that will enjoy sustainable competitive advantage.” (Mangaliso, Mzamo P. Building competitive advantage from Ubuntu: Management lessons from South Africa)
QUESTION
How was Ubuntu applied to support the merging process of the two companies? (3 examples)
African Bank Miners Credit purchased a controlling stake in the National Union of Mineworker’s during 2000-1. “There were a lot of internal differences and cultural issues between the two entities. As a result, we were looking for a methodology which would harmonize our business processes and also, improve the quality of our staff. By addressing these fundamental issues, we believed we would address the underlying cultural issues and ultimately show improvements in productivity,”(African Bank Miners Credit – Case Study).
Examples:
- They gave to every employee a drum; this was a symbol of communication and loyalty. . “Drums serve as a constant reminder of the importance of good communication and unity within the workplace. People have used drums since the dawn of time to relay messages and tell stories, and whenever the community moved to the sound of the drum, they were unified by moving to the same rhythm” (African Bank Miners Credit – Case Study)
- They used tales to explain different concepts: For example, the employees were told the tale of the bird and the badger was used to explain the concept of growth. The idea behind was that employees should strive to work together like the bird and the badger, because an important part of uBuntu teaches that what’s good for the community is good for the individual, and what is good for the individual is good for the community.
- The company decided to introduce a Zero Tolerance Policy; under uBuntu, if one person is dishonest, this impacts negatively on the entire company. “Employees were told that it was everyone’s responsibility to work together to eradicate dishonest practices and to create an environment in which respect, trust and honest business practices are upheld” (African Bank Miners Credit – Case Study).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
-Mangaliso, Mzamo P. Building competitive advantage from Ubuntu: Management lessons from South Africa.
-African Bank Miners Credit – Case Study
-Images from: http://www.flickr.com/
