Building competitive advantage from ubuntu: Management lessons from South Africa

Cultivating greater self‐confidence in African management research

“…On intra‐Africa organizational psychology, studies have explored areas such as high‐performance work systems (e.g., Aryee et al, , ), effectiveness of training for customer service (Lee, 2012), and work motivation in South Africa (Orpen & Nkohande, ). Recently, the introduction of indigenous concepts has gained much currency in the literature; for instance, scholars have introduced indigenous concepts such as Indaba (Newenham‐Kahindi, ) and Ubuntu (Mangaliso, ; Sarpong, Bi, & Amankwah‐Amoah, ) into the vocabulary of scholars. Indeed, these studies have suggested that firms could improve their performance, leadership, and ability to outwit rivals by creating work environments that reflect these indigenous principles and “ways of doing things” (Mangaliso, ).…”

“…Recently, the introduction of indigenous concepts has gained much currency in the literature; for instance, scholars have introduced indigenous concepts such as Indaba (Newenham‐Kahindi, ) and Ubuntu (Mangaliso, ; Sarpong, Bi, & Amankwah‐Amoah, ) into the vocabulary of scholars. Indeed, these studies have suggested that firms could improve their performance, leadership, and ability to outwit rivals by creating work environments that reflect these indigenous principles and “ways of doing things” (Mangaliso, ).…”

What's culture got to do with it? Examining job embeddedness and organizational commitment and turnover intentions in South Africa

“…With these findings, we elucidate new boundary conditions of job embeddedness theory in a South African context. Previously, researchers have pointed out several challenges and opportunities facing managers in South Africa (Abratt & Mofokeng, 2001;Mangaliso, 2001;Olawale & Garwe, 2010;Thomas & Bendixen, 2000). Low levels of organizational commitment and high turnover are two challenges that South African managers face (Dyk & Coetzee, 2013;Pillay & Hofmeyr, 2014;Tabane et al, 2013).…”

Critical Management Studies in the South African context

“…Whilst organisations may differ in the extent to which they strive for solidarity as a part of their organisational cultures, it might be argued that the modern zeitgeist in many societies tends towards a reduction in power distance. In South Africa, it has long been argued that 'African' management does and should entail elements such as a sense of ubuntu ([human kindness] -a collective and communal sense of solidarity and mutual experience) although lived experience of such management styles may differ markedly (Karsten & Illa 2005;Lutz 2009;Mangaliso 2001). Already, this is undermined by the apartheid-era legacy that many lower-level workers in South African settings may identify more with unions and other extraorganisational bodies -such as political parties -than with their own organisations, which historically were seen as instruments of the apartheid state.…”