The largest agricultural employer in South Africa applied what seemed to be a successful African management approach.
A number of Ubuntu (humaneness)-related interventions were implemented on different levels in the organization. The focus was on the interpersonal and interface levels where the Eurocentric and Afrocentric employees interact.
Ubuntu-values represent togetherness, tolerance, respect and support for each other. It also stresses greater recognition of the human contribution towards the effectiveness of the organisation.
The Thompa-subvalue acknowledges human dignity irrespective of the social standing of subordinates.
The Twano-subvalue refers to consensus decision-making.
The Thusana-subvalue requires the organisation to take care of all the material needs of the employees.
Application of the Ubuntu-value system functioned very well until recently. For 30 years the employees experienced a high level of satisfaction, no noteworthy union activities were reported, and the organization grew to become the biggest employer in the agricultural sector of the country.
In 2003 the employer-employee relationship deteriorated drastically. The employees were unionized and more than 70% of the employees went on strike. Eventually more than 2000 employees were laid off and production suffered.
The aim of this paper is to identify and present the factors that contributed to the breakdown of the ubuntu-management system. Important contributors were:
ß Macro-environment changes (economic and political);
ß Attitudinal changes of management, resulting in policy changes;
ß The development of the rural communities and changes in the expectations of the employees

---

---

---

Keywords

• Management
• African Management
• Ubuntu-values
• Employer-employee relations
• Diversity intervention

(30 min. Conference Paper, English)