THE EQUIVALENCE OF SOUTHERN AFRICAN HERITAGE OF UBUNTU

This chapter contributes to the advancement of African management knowledge systems and research in organizations. It builds from Hofstede (1980, 1983) seminal work by arguing that nationality has a symbolic value to citizens. The chapter lays a foundation for African management knowledge and research that build from observing a case study in South Africa, Ubuntu in particular. The fundamental implication of Hofstede’s (1983) belongingness “nationality” is that “we all derive, part of our identity from it; and it is part of the Who I am”(p. 76). Organization studies elsewhere seem to support Hofstede’s claims by intimating that the influence of religion and work ethics on managers in the Eastern and Western cultures differ in substantial ways (Gunlu, Aksarayli, & Perçin, 2010; Namasivayam & Zhao, 2007).