Matthias NgwangwamaNAMIBIA IS PART of the African continent. Africa had, and still has, its own good indigenous knowledge systems and practices.
However, a question might emerge: What constitutes good indigenous knowledge systems and practices in an African setting?
Consensus appears to be that African humanism, well-known as ubuntu, and broken down into forgiveness, reconciliation, friendliness, respect for others, neighbourliness and helpfulness, is at the core of good indigenous knowledge systems in the African context.
In other words, humanism is, or used to be, the foundation of thinking and behaving towards self and others on most aspects of life in most African societies, including business management. Sadly, humanism as a philosophy and practice seems to have been forgotten, largely because of the cumulative effects of the trans-Atlantic slave trade (1440-1870), colonialism (1884-1994), the entrenchment of a global economic system (1878-1990), as well as post-colonial governance (1950 to the present day).
The question we have to grapple with in today’s Africa is this: If ubuntu, with its sub-parts of forgiveness, reconciliation, friendliness, respect for others, neighbourliness and helpfulness is at the core of African societies, why is there a pervasive manifestation of unjust and oppressive systems, a culture of entitlement, extreme forms of individuality, environmental exploitation, autocracy, inhumane treatment of people, disregard for human dignity and integrity in most institutions on the African continent?
It will take a genuine decolonisation of the mind (which Bob Marley referred to many years ago as freedom from mental slavery), to restore good indigenous knowledge systems and practices in our institutions. Some argue that a complete decolonisation of mindsets is a fallacy.
A fallacy because underlying much of the arguments and rhetoric of decolonisation of the mind is the assumption that a person, a nation or a state had, before colonisation a recognisable, stable identity or mental state. As such, decolonisation now seeks to rescue that mental state/identity, and restore it to its original, authentic, pure ante-colonial mental state.
However, to restore to its original state for instance an “African identity”, or history that is mainly based on oral tradition spanning over years, might not be an easy task. Therefore, less radical forms of decolonisation of the mind, such as some sort of acknowledgement of valuable elements in colonial systems and indigenous knowledge systems, are suggested.
This type of decolonisation constructs new mental frameworks by developing new hybrid systems from the systems of the coloniser and the colonised.
One way to decolonise, redefine and recapture an African identity, and mindset, might be to introduce good indigenous knowledge systems and practices in business management. The emphasis is on good indigenous knowledge systems and practices because there might be bad indigenous knowledge systems as well.
A question has to develop: Which might be good indigenous knowledge systems that need to be incorporated in business management practices in Namibian organisations?
There might be plenty. First, for instance, introducing business management practices and activities that unite, and not divide, people in daily organisational management and practice. As earlier stated, indigenous knowledge hinges on humanism (ubuntu) broken down into forgiveness, reconciliation, friendliness, respect for others, neighbourliness and helpfulness.
As such, we must obviously conclude that incorporating indigenous knowledge systems in business management practices implies emphasising humanism as a means that unites people in the organisation. As earlier slogans during the liberation struggle resonated, unity is strength. “United we stand, divided we fall”.
Therefore, if organisational leaders and managers can follow through on the wisdom in the slogans such as these stated in the foregoing, peace, harmony and, consequently, achievement of organisational goals are likely to be made manifest in our institutions than is currently the case.
There will be no more (or lesser) factional fights, slander, gossip, and suspensions in our institutions. Because of the philosophy of communalism in African management, which originates from the belief that the individual is not alone but belongs to the community, aspects such as inclusivity and co-operative teamwork need to be part and parcel of organisational management in Namibian business organisations.
Emphasis should be on teamwork and the group – promoting the welfare of the entire group, and not the individual.
Another example of good indigenous knowledge that can be incorporated in business management practices can be aspects related to dispute resolution mechanisms. As a case in point, there is no reason why a duly discerned panel of elders cannot mediate internal disputes, and preside over minor disputes, between individuals in organisations by applying traditional court principles rather than the expensive and drawn-out Western court judicial systems.
However, for such indigenous principles to work, it should be written and formalised in the organisation’s policies and procedures. If African indigenous knowledge systems accept traditional court principles, such as the adjudication of (wise) counsellors and headmen, and evidence exists that disputes are resolved through such principles and systems, surely it should also work in business organisations in some instances involving minor disputes and quarrels.
In fact, this may relieve the already overburdened and expensive legal systems, which only rich people can afford, and internal disciplinary procedures. The critical aspect is properly researching and setting up an effective indigenous dispute resolution system in business organisations.
At all costs, the syndrome of people having two worlds: the world of work, which is Western-conceived, and the world of home and community, which is African-values based, should be avoided.
The syndrome of stepping out of one’s culture when going to work in the morning and stepping back into your own culture when returning home in the evening should no longer persist.
This scenario might create confusion and, as a consequence, the non-achievement of organisational objectives, as well as a lack of high-performance cultures. It is within this context that an argument is made of introducing good indigenous knowledge systems and practices in organisational theory and management practice in Namibia.
* The author of this piece is a business philosopher and practioner with some 20 years plus experience in the Namibian business and corporate arena. He holds a national diploma in accounting, BTech accounting and finance, MBA and a PhD from Stellenbosch University specialising in organisational development and design, specifically, business management, leadership, organisational strategy and culture.
