Ubuntu, a word that comes to our minds related to an operative system software, has its roots in the African social philosophy, that sometimes is misunderstood by foreigners ignoring the tacit and explicit knowledge derived from it. Some aspects analyzed as relevant by Mangaliso (2003) are presented as follows...
Relationship with others
Human interdependance, has as driving norms reciprocity, suppression of self-interest, and the virtue of symbiosis. These words provide a different understanding in relation to the western society philosophy of life, which rests on individual gains rather than group harmony. In this sense managers can apply the social responsability not as an added value but as a normal symbiotical relation with its stake-holders.
Language and Communication
The mastery of the art and skill of oratory is still a prerequisite for leadership. Cross cultural managers must understand and identify the proper way to express the company´s objectives and purpose to its employees so that they can receive the message as wanted by the managers.
Decision Making
Under Ubuntu´s Philosophy decision making is a circular, inclusive one process trying to get unitiy. The western managers must understand how important it is to make decision making process as inclusive as possible so that the different viewpoints can add more value to the taken decisions.
Time
"God gave the African time, and the westerner a watch". Since misunderstandings about time are often a source of friction in cross-cultural interactions, managers must identify every single society view of time, before establishing assumptions over it, and even more about the time limits, being them very often conflict creating matters.
Productivity and Efficiency
In the Ubuntu context, the emphasis is on social well-being rather than on technical rationality. Managers can use this philosophy for the benefit of the employees creating spaces at work in which the employee can have improvements, such as resting spaces, or free food, things like that which improve the well-being initially of the employee but then of the entire organization.
Age and Seniority
Ubuntu´s philosophy values experience, and accept directions only by those "elder". In that order of ideas is something clear that experience is an added value, so it´s important to understand how in some contexts the elders are trusted more as leaders than youngers.
Since all of this has a belief system inside of it, we must understand how by being aware of Ubuntu´s cultural philosophy managers can benefit not only by increasing the welfare of the employees but also by a better performance of the entire organization.
References
- Mangaliso, Mzamo. 2003. Building competitive advantage from Ubuntu. In Thomas, David Clinton, editor, Readings and Cases in International Management: A cross-cultural perspective.
