Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: An African leadership paradigm: The missing link for productivity and empowerment
in Business - The case of Lesotho is a study done in response to socio-economic problems
facing Lesotho due to a lack of, or an out-of-step kind of leadership prevailing in the business
sector in that country. This study is a mixture of theory and application. The chronological
framework of production, empowerment and leadership practices in Lesotho is presented so
as to create the context within which the study is conducted. The examples of leadership
practices and theories explaining the leadership behaviour of past and contemporary African
leaders are also presented because an African leadership paradigm relies more on skills and
wisdom than on techniques and specific knowledge. Explaining this paradigm therefore has
to be done through presenting real experience, not through a list of principles.
This study takes the position that there is a need for leadership transformation in Lesotho
business. This transformation should represent a fundamental shift in the relationship of
business with individuals and the society as whole. This implies therefore that Lesotho
businesses have to reconnect with the people that comprise them. The African leadership
paradigm described in this study is argued to be an appropriate approach that would help
realize this shift because it emphasizes collaboration, open lines of communication in all
directions throughout the company, and advocates creativity and innovation. Furthermore,
the organizational structure advocated by the African leadership paradigm is seen as a means
to achieve objectives, not an end in itself. The structure is flatter, formed around teams and
task forces.
It has also been observed that the view of business leadership in Lesotho is currently a
mechanistic one, and it is now time to replace this mechanistic view with a more organic one.
The latter would recognize the biological nature of business and the sanctity of individual
human life. Moreover, today business has become a very different place. International
boundaries have faded as business takes on a more global perspective. The technology of the
information age has contracted the time it takes to communicate and make decisions. The
African leadership paradigm takes a panoramic view of this change and finds its place in it.
The integration provided in this study describes an African perspective framework for
leadership, thus placing the African leadership paradigm firmly in perspective and linking the
entire framework to actual leadership practices. It is argued in this study that an African leadership paradigm should be used as a guiding
approach in the business sector in Lesotho. This would help in determining how this
approach fits into the total organizational picture. It is believed that a balanced effort to
improve leadership qualities would yield the most effective motivational climate in the
business sector. It is also argued that an African leadership paradigm should not be regarded
as something extreme over and above the duties of leaders, but rather as a way of leadership,
a way of doing better what is done now. It is an approach to increase the effectiveness of the
business and to fully utilize human resources in solving work problems.
Forces of change such as globalisation and smart partnerships and how they transform the
way business is done, are also observed in this study. These forces have a major influence on
whether a business could either succeed or go down in flames. The study suggests that the
focus of Lesotho business during this transition period should be to find or create partnerships
that would provide profitable business relationships and raise competitiveness. This is
because the world is increasingly becoming a global market where integration across
traditional borders is evident in almost every dimension of life. Therefore the focus should be
on getting beyond organizational boundaries to more profitable, more desirable relationships
such as smart partnerships. These partnerships enlarge the pie and in doing so let each party
emerge as winner. The partners open up the borders between their companies and this
enables them to tap into the productivity that lies between their establishments, and as a result
they make substantial mutual gains. Lesotho business leaders are therefore urged to transcend
boundaries in order to survive.
It is also observed that globalisation poses ethical challenges for business and hence the call
for business ethical codes and philosophical moral reasoning such as utilitarianism and
deontology for business in Lesotho. This compels Lesotho not only to adapt to the
globalisation of the world economy but to a new leadership paradigm that would facilitate
ethical business behaviour, that is, the proposed African leadership paradigm.
In a nutshell this study assumes that leadership in Lesotho should have exposure to effective
principles of leadership and that they need to acquire skills and attitudes advocated by the
proposed African leadership paradigm. The emphasis should be on motivation,
communication, personal effectiveness, collaboration, decision-making and coordination of
functions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Afrika-Ieierskapsparadigma: Die ontbrekende skakel nodig vir
produktiwiteit en bemagtiging in Besigheid - Die geval van Lesotho is 'n studie
wat gedoen is in reaksie op die sosio-ekonomiese probleme wat Lesotho in die gesig
staar as gevolg van die afwesigheid van, of die onbevoegde soort leierskap wat die
besigheidsektor van daardie land karakteriseer. Hierdie studie is 'n mengsel van beide
teorie en toepassing. Die kronologiese raamwerk van produksie, bemagtiging en
leierskapspraktyke in Lesotho word voorgehou met die oog daarop om die konteks
waarin die studie gedoen word uit te spel. Voorbeelde van die leierskapsgebruike en
teorieë wat die leierskapsoptrede van eertydse en kontemporêre Afrikaleiers
verduidelik, word voorgehou omdat 'n Akrika- leierskapsparadigma juis afhanklik is
van vaardighede en wysheid, eerder as van tegnieke en gespesifiseerde kennis.
Hierdie paradigma word dus verduidelik deur die weergee van werklike ervaring,
eerder as om 'n lys van beginsels voor te lê.
Die studie neem die posisie in dat daar die behoefte bestaan aan die transformasie van
leierskap in Lesotho-besigheid. Hierdie transformasie behoort 'n fundamentele
verskuiwing in die verhouding van besigheid tot individue in die samelewing in die
geheel te behels. Dit impliseer dus dat Lesotho besigheid weer moet skakel met die
mense wat hulle in die eerste plek uitmaak. Die Afrika-leierskapsparadigma wat in
hierdie studie beskryfword, word voorgehou as 'n toepaslike benadering wat sal help
om hierdie verskuiwing mee te bring, juis omdat dit klem plaas op samewerking, oop
kommunikasie kanale in alle rigtings deur die maatskappy, as ook omdat dit
kreatiwiteit en innovasie aanmoedig. Verder word die organisasiestruktuur wat deur
die Afrika-leierskapsparadigma voorgehou word gesien as 'n middelom 'n doel te
bereik en nie 'n doelop sigself nie. Die struktuur is as't ware plat en gesentreerd om
spanne en taakgroepe.
Dit word gestel dat die huidige sienmg van besigheidsleierskap in Lesotho
meganisties van aard is, en dat dit nou tyd is om hierdie meganistiese siening met 'n
meer organiese siening te vervang. So 'n siening sal die biologiese aard van besigheid
en die onaantasbaarheid van die menslike lewe erken. Boonop is die hedendaagse
besigheidswêreld 'n heel ander wêreld. Internasionale grenslyne vervaag soos wat
besighede 'n meer globale perspektief begin aanhang. Die tegnologie van die informasie-era het die tyd wat dit neem om te kommunikeer en om besluite te neem
ingekort. Die Afrika-leierskapsparadigma neem vanuit 'n panoramiese blik op hierdie
veranderinge sy posisie daarteenoor in. Die intergrasie wat deur hierdie studie
voorgestel word, beskryf 'n raamwerk vir leierskap vanuit 'n Afrika-perspektief en
plaas die Afrika-leierskapsparadigma in perspektief deur die hele raamwerk in te
skakel by werklike leierskapspraktyke.
Die studie hou voor dat 'n Afrika-leierskapsparadigma as 'n riglyn-benadering in die
besigheidssektor van Lesotho gebruik behoort te word. Dit sal help om vas te stel hoe
hierdie benadering by die oorhoofse organisatoriese prentjie inpas. Dit betoog dat 'n
gebalanseerde poging om leierskapskwaliteite te verbeter die mees effektiewe
motiverende klimaat in die besigheisektor sal vestig. Dit argumenteer ook dat 'n
Afrika -leierskapsparadigma nie as 'n uiterste, bo en behalwe die gewone pligte van
leiers, beskou behoort te word nie, maar eerder as 'n nuwe manier van doen vir leiers,
'n manier van doen wat beter is as wat tans die geval is. Dit is 'n benadering om die
effektiwiteit van besigheid te bevorder en om menslike hulpbronne ten volle te benut
in die oplossing van werksprobleme.
Veranderingskragte soos globalisering en "smart partnerships" en die wyse waarop
hulle besigheidspraktyke beïnvloed word ook ondersoek in hierdie studie. Sulke
kragte het 'n wesenlike invloed op die sukses van 'n besigheid, al dan nie. Die studie
stel voor dat die fokus van die Lesotho besigheidssektor tydens hierdie
oorgangsperiode daarop gemik behoort te wees om samewerking te vestig wat
winsgewende besigheidsverhoudinge sal verseker en wat meedingendheid sal
aanwakker. Die rede daarvoor is die neiging in die wêreld na 'n globale mark waar
integrasie oor tradisionele grense heen 'n kenmerk word van byna alle aspekte van die
lewe. Die fokus behoort dus te wees daarop om verbyorganisatoriese grenslyne te
strek na meer winsgewende, meer gesogte verhoudinge soos "smart partnerships."
Hierdie verhoudinge verseker groter opbrengste en elke party tree by wyse van spreke
as wenner na vore. Die betrokke partye dra daartoe by dat die grense tussen hulle
maatskappye vervaag en dit stel hulle in staat om voordeel te trek uit die
produktiwiteit wat tussen hulle instansies lê en om sodoende substantiewe,
wedersydse wins te maak. Daar word gevolglik 'n beroep gedoen op Lesotho se
besigheidsleiers om grense te transendeer om hulle eie voortbestaan te verseker. Daar word betoog dat globalisering etiese uitdagings vir besighede inhou en juis
daarom word daar 'n beroep gedoen om besigheids-etiese kodes en filosofiese morele
redenering soos die utilitarisme en die deontologie vir die besigheidsektor van
Lesotho. Dit moedig Lesotho aan om nie net in te val by die huidige globaliserings
neiginge van die wêreldekonomie nie, maar om 'n nuwe leierskapsparadigma daar te
stel wat etiese besigheidspraktyke sal fasiliteer, dit wil sê, die voorgestelde Afrikaleierskapsparadigma.
In 'n neutedop saamgevat begin hierdie studie by die aanname dat die leierskapsgarde
van Lesotho blootgetsel behoort te word aan effektiewe leierskapsbeginsels en dat
hulle nodig het om die vaardighede en ingesteldheid wat in die Afrikaleierskapsparadigma
voorgehou word, te bekom. Motivering, kommunikasie,
persoonlike effektiwiteit, samewerking, besluitneming en die koërdinasie van
funksies behoort benadruk te word.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52089 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Ntsike, Austeria Letholetseng |
| Contributors | Van der Merwe, W. L., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Philosophy. Centre for Applied Ethics. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 132 pages : illustrations |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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