1Arthur Schopenhauer 1844, The World as Will and Representation

  By By Peter E. Peter E. Franks, Franks, 20042004

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IIn the n the twentytwenty--first century we are all cofirst century we are all connfronfrontting ing varvariious ous stages of the process stages of the process varvariiously ously called called

iinnddiividuviduaation, socialtion, socialiissaation, ution, urrbanbaniissaation, tion, gloglobbaallisisaation, ntion, noomadmadiissaation or whation or whattever. ever.

HoHowwever, we are all dever, we are all dooing this in our own way, ing this in our own way, varivariaably ibly innflfluuenced enced by othby others, ers, but with but with clearly clearly

didiffferent starferent startting points, hiing points, hissttoories, trries, traajejeccttoorries, ies, vavallues, pues, perspectives and coerspectives and conntexts.texts.

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In 1996 a list of issues of concern in public In 1996 a list of issues of concern in public management was presented to the management was presented to the

Provincial Government’s Human Provincial Government’s Human Resources Committee. One of the issues Resources Committee. One of the issues highlighted was, “the conflict between highlighted was, “the conflict between the demands of custom and tradition the demands of custom and tradition

and the demands of modern work”. No and the demands of modern work”. No one on the committee denied the one on the committee denied the

veracity and importance of the issue, but veracity and importance of the issue, but it was taken off the list of issues to be it was taken off the list of issues to be presented to the Provincial Cabinet, presented to the Provincial Cabinet,

because it was seen as embarrassing.because it was seen as embarrassing.

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The embarrassment of the so-called new class to their true The embarrassment of the so-called new class to their true allegiances and their dominant frame of reference means allegiances and their dominant frame of reference means

that there is a lack of action. This adds further confusion to that there is a lack of action. This adds further confusion to the issues involved and processes effected.the issues involved and processes effected. In a context in In a context in

which people desperately want to show that they can which people desperately want to show that they can function in a bureaucratic society of mediated consumption, function in a bureaucratic society of mediated consumption,

people don’t want to acknowledge that they are tribal at people don’t want to acknowledge that they are tribal at heart.heart.

If denial continues we all face the consequences.If denial continues we all face the consequences.

The real danger is that we will continue creating conflict The real danger is that we will continue creating conflict between indigenous values and modernity, which the world between indigenous values and modernity, which the world is in the danger of warring about for the foreseeable future. is in the danger of warring about for the foreseeable future.

A modus operandi needs to be found that can harmonise A modus operandi needs to be found that can harmonise this diversity and pacify and allay potentially destructive this diversity and pacify and allay potentially destructive forces. Traditional society promises forces. Traditional society promises tto become what one o become what one

most fears, unless some way is found to harness most fears, unless some way is found to harness

the energy released by ’tribality’ and its values. the energy released by ’tribality’ and its values. PE Franks, 2004. Slide 4

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In turn these particularities can temper and enrich the In turn these particularities can temper and enrich the process of globalisation harnessing it to the integrity of process of globalisation harnessing it to the integrity of

the particularities. the particularities. The debacle in Iraq serves as a The debacle in Iraq serves as a warning to those who would temperwarning to those who would temper with seemingly with seemingly weaker traditional forces. This is both challenge and weaker traditional forces. This is both challenge and

opportunity. Can a dialogue on culture and opportunity. Can a dialogue on culture and management be incubated?management be incubated?

Instead of seeing ‘tribality’ as reactionary or, at least, Instead of seeing ‘tribality’ as reactionary or, at least, just resistantjust resistant, t, there is an urgent need to confront this here is an urgent need to confront this

issue and nurture conversations in all the particularities issue and nurture conversations in all the particularities towards taking ownership of development. towards taking ownership of development.

A first step is to bring the issues into the open. A first step is to bring the issues into the open. At all the frontiers conversations need to find ways At all the frontiers conversations need to find ways

to harmonise the diversity, not just manage it.to harmonise the diversity, not just manage it.

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PPatrick Chabal, 1997atrick Chabal, 1997

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…… young Black Consciousness intellectuals spoke young Black Consciousness intellectuals spoke against their traditional cultures and traditionsagainst their traditional cultures and traditions… a… a

political imperative expressed political imperative expressed by by Professor Professor Ndebele.Ndebele. (1970’s)(1970’s)::

The problem with cultures is the unassailable The problem with cultures is the unassailable fact that you cannot understand them fully, as fact that you cannot understand them fully, as an outsider. It was widely held that ethnicity an outsider. It was widely held that ethnicity and culture were creations of the apartheid and culture were creations of the apartheid

state and that when apartheid went so would state and that when apartheid went so would any talk of these "survivals". any talk of these "survivals". The The a-historical a-historical

view that people want to leave their traditional view that people want to leave their traditional roots behind for 'development' or modernity roots behind for 'development' or modernity

has dominated academic debate in South has dominated academic debate in South AfricaAfrica..

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In the fifties and sixties, the In the fifties and sixties, the peoples of the newly peoples of the newly

independent African countries independent African countries were told Western values were told Western values

would inspire modernization would inspire modernization and lead oppressed people to and lead oppressed people to

demand the human rights demand the human rights enjoyed by people in the enjoyed by people in the

Western World. Today Africans Western World. Today Africans find it ironic that the values find it ironic that the values broadcasted from the West broadcasted from the West represent oppression of the represent oppression of the

poor and the decay of poor and the decay of civilization. Consequently, civilization. Consequently,

Western values are fast Western values are fast becoming discredited and becoming discredited and

devalued in the eyes of many devalued in the eyes of many AfricansAfricans.. Wole Akande (2002)Wole Akande (2002)

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Difference of perspective is common to all situations in which ‘particularities’ (Baudrillard) are in contact with the modernizing impulse of globalization, or new imperial-ism (Escobar, 2001). There is a frontier in the midst of the centers of modernity – the hoards of immigrants who have been arriving since the latter half of the 19th C. This frontier is somewhat blurred by politically correct notions of melting pots and hybridization which have so dominated the imagination. It was presumed, and hardly questioned, that the immigrants were transforming into citizens, and absorbing the dominant culture as their own. The jury is still out on this question.

To someone immersed in traditional society from birth, the ancestors are a given, accepted unstintingly. Ancestors are intertwined with the person’s being, at a totally assumptive level. It may not be possible, in fact, to reject, as it is with western assumptions of god – the primary difference being that all people become ancestors when they die. They become immortal.

Judeo-Christians do not become gods.

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Chief Seattle beginning his 1854 Oration put this elegantly:

“Your dead cease to love you and the land of their nativity as soon as they pass the portals of the tomb and wander away beyond the stars. They are soon forgotten and never return. Our dead never forget this beautiful world that gave them being. They still love its verdant valleys, its murmuring rivers, its magnificent mountains, sequestered vales and verdant lined lakes and bays, and ever yearn in tender fond affection over the lonely hearted living, and often return from the happy hunting ground to visit, guide, console, and comfort them.”

He concludes: “Let him be just and deal kindly with my people, for the dead are not powerless. Dead, did I say? There is no death, only a change of worlds.”

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Pierre Clastres' contends that (this) ethnocentrism has an "...other face, the complementary

conviction that history is a one-way progression, that every society is condemned to pass through the

stages which lead from savagery to civilization" (p. 190). He concludes his argument: "It might be said, with

at least as much truthfulness, that the history of peoples without history is the history of their

struggle against the state" (p. 218). "La Société contre l'état" (1974) "Society against the State" (1989).

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Cornejo Polar (2000) counters notions of Cornejo Polar (2000) counters notions of hybridity with the notion of cultural hybridity with the notion of cultural heterogeneity. Grandis and Bernd heterogeneity. Grandis and Bernd (2000) summarise Polar’s view as (2000) summarise Polar’s view as

follows: follows:

(2000, p. xx)(2000, p. xx) PE Franks, 2004. Slide 14

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It is not that traditional cultures are unchanging: It is not that traditional cultures are unchanging: “..what “..what can no longer be said is that the tendency of can no longer be said is that the tendency of

modernization is simply to promote the disappearance modernization is simply to promote the disappearance of traditional cultures. The problem, then cannot be of traditional cultures. The problem, then cannot be

reduced to one of conserving and rescuing supposedly reduced to one of conserving and rescuing supposedly unchanged traditions. It is a question of asking unchanged traditions. It is a question of asking

ourselves how they are being transformed and how ourselves how they are being transformed and how they interact with the forces of modernity.” they interact with the forces of modernity.” (Garcia Canclini (Garcia Canclini

1995. p. 155)1995. p. 155)

Viewing issues of management from this perspective does not assume the superiority of modernity in its

assumptions but rather resents its seemingly inevitable domination. As we see in the

Resistance to this domination in Iraq, and throughout the middle East,

has resorted to covert terrorism and guerilla warfare. Perhaps, this will force a realization that the voices of

the particularities demand recognition and the addressing of their concerns. Their capitulation cannot be forced without their

annihilation. PE Franks, 2004. Slide 15

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Henry Mintzberg (1999)Henry Mintzberg (1999)

Reality is far too complex for them Reality is far too complex for them to be more than very partial to be more than very partial

analyses, no matter how holistic analyses, no matter how holistic they claim to be.they claim to be.

Schopenhauer cautioned against the Schopenhauer cautioned against the Professors and their:Professors and their:

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The danger of “error” in all theories and models is The danger of “error” in all theories and models is that it is systematic. Error systematically fetishises that it is systematic. Error systematically fetishises

one aspect of a complex and dynamic situation, one aspect of a complex and dynamic situation, ignoring others. Following Schopenhauer (1844) ignoring others. Following Schopenhauer (1844)

and Baudrillard’s (1983) notion of the “precession and Baudrillard’s (1983) notion of the “precession of the model”, of the model”, Giri Giri ((1998) draws upon the 1998) draws upon the

UpanishadsUpanishads in proposing that,in proposing that,

A strategy may be appropriate in the abstract A strategy may be appropriate in the abstract but may not be appropriate in thebut may not be appropriate in the particularparticular

moment in amoment in a particularparticular situation in thesituation in the particularparticular context with thosecontext with those particularparticular peoplepeople

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““Ganesh confirmed that “…Indian work organizations Ganesh confirmed that “…Indian work organizations remain embedded in the socio-cultural milieu. Modern remain embedded in the socio-cultural milieu. Modern

technology is … compromised with social compulsions… in technology is … compromised with social compulsions… in some cases automatic machines and plans are rendered some cases automatic machines and plans are rendered

manual by neglect or inept handling, for creating more job manual by neglect or inept handling, for creating more job points. Work forms remain Western in description, but work points. Work forms remain Western in description, but work

relationships are permeated with cultural ethos. The relationships are permeated with cultural ethos. The organizational chart given by the supplier is kept neatly in organizational chart given by the supplier is kept neatly in the drawer, but hierarchy is culturally shaped. the drawer, but hierarchy is culturally shaped.

The organization may have high tech but the identity The organization may have high tech but the identity remains social” remains social” (Parikh,1979).

Ganesh observed that "...organizations [in India] Ganesh observed that "...organizations [in India] have fuzzy boundaries…represent settings in which societalhave fuzzy boundaries…represent settings in which societal

forces interact…settings for interaction of familiar forces, forces interact…settings for interaction of familiar forces, interest groups, caste conflicts, regional and linguistic interest groups, caste conflicts, regional and linguistic

groups, class conflicts, political and religious forces.groups, class conflicts, political and religious forces.(p. 5) …In some cases, the socio-cultural factors adversely affect …In some cases, the socio-cultural factors adversely affect

organizational vitality and productivity; in some other cases, organizational vitality and productivity; in some other cases, they are effectively utilized to maintain high productivity” they are effectively utilized to maintain high productivity”

((J.B.P. Sinha, 1990; J.B.P. Sinha and D. Sinha, 1990).“ “ Sinha, (1992) Sinha, (1992) PE Franks, 2004. Slide 18

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Sohail Inayatullah (2000) suggests:Sohail Inayatullah (2000) suggests:

““As the intelligentsia for hypercapitalism As the intelligentsia for hypercapitalism search for new legitimating factors, search for new legitimating factors,

the challenge for the anti-systemic movements, the challenge for the anti-systemic movements, in this possible window of opportunity, in this possible window of opportunity,

will be to create visions and practices of a more will be to create visions and practices of a more multicultural society with an alternative multicultural society with an alternative

economics that is spiritually grounded.”economics that is spiritually grounded.” (p. 12)(p. 12)

On the other hand all the talk of On the other hand all the talk of multiculturalism in the West multiculturalism in the West

risks becoming merely an exercise in risks becoming merely an exercise in containing containing

particularities within modern and western particularities within modern and western constraints.constraints. PE Franks,

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21Manning Manning (2001) (2001)

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A Human Relations Climate Investigation conducted A Human Relations Climate Investigation conducted in the Limpopo Provincial Service in the Limpopo Provincial Service indicated the indicated the following issues:following issues:

• Lack of mobilisation of skills and expertise towards a common vision.Lack of mobilisation of skills and expertise towards a common vision.

• Classism. Some public servants feel that they are ‘professionals’ and Classism. Some public servants feel that they are ‘professionals’ and tt therefore superior to those they are supposed to serve. therefore superior to those they are supposed to serve.

• Confusion of political and administrative purposes.Confusion of political and administrative purposes.

• Historical and contemporaneous favouritisms Historical and contemporaneous favouritisms (from Baasskap to Broer-(from Baasskap to Broer-

skap toskap to S Sexism to Comradeship).exism to Comradeship).

• Inadequate performance evaluation systems.Inadequate performance evaluation systems.

• Inadequate supervision and management.Inadequate supervision and management.

• Inadequate training and development.Inadequate training and development.

• Covering-up, excusing, or simply just not recognising, incompetence. Covering-up, excusing, or simply just not recognising, incompetence.

• Conflict between the perceived demands of tradition and custom versus Conflict between the perceived demands of tradition and custom versus the demands the demands oof modern management.f modern management.

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• All processes of selection and placement of staff can be influenced by agendas extraneous to the goals of the organization.

• Work and modern enterprise are secondary to ‘home’ and all it stands for, the spiritual fame of reference influenced by the ancestors, in the legends of the mass of the workforce.

• Interrupts work flows: Funeral interruptions. Absences without replacement and/or delegation. In some cases access to the absentee’s office may not be possible and if faxes arrive they will wait till the absentee returns. This has the effect of clogging work processes. Even high level executives have to attend numerous funerals on Saturdays, disturbing their focus and limiting their work.

The conflict between the demands The conflict between the demands of custom and tradition and the of custom and tradition and the demands of modern enterprise, demands of modern enterprise,

affects work processes at all levels affects work processes at all levels of the enterprise. For instance:of the enterprise. For instance:

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• Strengthens informal networks: Encourages the formation of tribally based informal networks which compete with the formal decision-making processes. Because of this partial interests tend to be served over those of the organisation as a whole..

• Complicates Discipline: The impossibility of implementing performance management as one cannot act procedurally against a home boy who is not performing without having to face their family and clan at the funeral every Saturday. These have to be procedures in place to help people face these vey emotional processes and decisions.

• Encourages favouritism of all sorts: Nepotism, tribalism and camraderie flourish. Hire the home boy or girl.

• Compromises security and confidentiality: The impossibility of security protocols as they will be overridden for a ‘home-boy or girl’.

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• Perhaps most important is the notion of face effecting all processes. For instance it is never made apparent that an appointment is an affirmative action appointment because of the damage it would do to that person’s ‘face’ as such. Therefore no development processes are put into place to assist the appointee. Nor can they ask for assistance or mentoring lest they be seen as an affirmative appointee and lose face.

• Generally it creates disruptive networks that exacerbate organizational politics hindering organizational functioning.

• Subverting well meaning processes such as affirmative action by reducing it to nepotism, ethnicism or tribalism. The strategy of favouritism has its down side, which only emerges in full strength once the third or fourth generation of affirmative appointments have set in, when the rule of a war of all against all for positions has been established and organizational politics rules supreme with merit being pushed aside. There is no reward in doing your job as you will not be noticed in the cocktail lounges, in your expensive clothes or in your extravagant automobile nor in your mansion.

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• This is not going to change unless we recognise and acknowledge the competing value systems and do something to harmonise them. At present we are merely allowing them to find their own way, damaging organizational and institutional growth.

• The real problem is the confrontation between merit and organizational politics that really arises from outside the organization itself. Merit builds respect while a politically riddled organization builds contempt. And this is something that all the spin doctors cannot cover over

• If these processes are left unchecked it eventually leads to situation of a war of all against all for position. The following caricature illuminates the situation that arises from the abuse of Affirmative Action: “If I have a job that I cannot do, and you have a better position, with better pay and perks, that you cannot do, why can’t I not do your job?”

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The two reasons for trepidation are:1. That it will beget a resistance,

(especially now the Middle East resistance is fanning the fires), preventing a process of harmonization from even beginning.

2. That these efforts will damage irreparably the psyche of South Africa by overpowering the ancient frameworks, and extinguishing their flames.

Unless some way is found to ameliorate the confusions people have, it risks polarization as we are now witnessing between Moslems and the so called modern world; some even reduce it to the Christian world.

"Without negating the basic similarities "Without negating the basic similarities between all human beings there is still between all human beings there is still

a need to come to terms with the a need to come to terms with the various aspirational paradigms of our various aspirational paradigms of our

varied peoples"varied peoples" (Franks, 1984a & b, p.1)(Franks, 1984a & b, p.1)

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A people which holds its custom and tradition so dear as Africans do, needs to share their confusions if they are to find ways to harmonise their tribality with modernity. There is no effort in this regard. People are pretending to be part of one

framework while not in fact being free of the other to do so. We are living a pretense, a pretense with dire consequences.

There is a rising awareness of the need to deal with the cultural question. Frenzied attempts to deny cultural relativity are

waning. A Brussels Seminar at the European Commission, proposed a “double hypothesis: we are in transition to a trans-modern way of thinking that combines intuition and spirituality with rational brainwork; and that 21st C conflicts will likely be

not between religions or cultures but within them, between premodern, modern, and transmodern worldviews. Non-Western thinkers find this framework useful: it opens a door to criticism of the worst aspects of modernity without being ‘anti-Western’.

(Marc Luyckx, 1998, p974)

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"History will show convincingly that the pleas of humanity, "History will show convincingly that the pleas of humanity, civilization, and equal rights, upon which the British civilization, and equal rights, upon which the British

Government bases its actions, are nothing else but the Government bases its actions, are nothing else but the recrudescence of that spirit of annexation and plunder which recrudescence of that spirit of annexation and plunder which has at all times characterized its dealings with our people“has at all times characterized its dealings with our people“

(J(JCC Smuts, 1900,) Smuts, 1900,)

Can the global heed the warnings, or will it Can the global heed the warnings, or will it arrogantly attempt to impose its will, arrogantly attempt to impose its will,

annihilating all particularities as Baudrillard annihilating all particularities as Baudrillard warns today:warns today:

“Our wars thus have less to do with the “Our wars thus have less to do with the confrontation of warriors than with the confrontation of warriors than with the

domestication of the refractory forces on the domestication of the refractory forces on the planet, those uncontrollable elements as the planet, those uncontrollable elements as the police would say, to which belong not only police would say, to which belong not only Islam in its entirety but wild ethnic groups, Islam in its entirety but wild ethnic groups,

minority languages etc. All that is singular and minority languages etc. All that is singular and irreducible must be reduced and absorbed. In irreducible must be reduced and absorbed. In this sense, the Iran-Iraq war was a successful this sense, the Iran-Iraq war was a successful first phase: Iraq served to liquidate the most first phase: Iraq served to liquidate the most radical form of the anti-Western challenge, radical form of the anti-Western challenge,

even though it never defeated it.”even though it never defeated it.” (Jean Baudrillard, (Jean Baudrillard, 1995, p. 86)1995, p. 86)

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When the Afro-pessimists raise the spectre of corruption, When the Afro-pessimists raise the spectre of corruption, they are in part misunderstanding the pressures and they are in part misunderstanding the pressures and

confusions faced by African leaders and people. It is not confusions faced by African leaders and people. It is not so much that people are corrupt but that they are so much that people are corrupt but that they are

caught between demands, values, temptations and caught between demands, values, temptations and desires. People need help dealing with this confusion of desires. People need help dealing with this confusion of roles and values. Without dialogues and conversations roles and values. Without dialogues and conversations on these issues, bringing them to the open, people are on these issues, bringing them to the open, people are left to their own devices. People therefore fall back on left to their own devices. People therefore fall back on tribality for comfort. Tribality and modernity have to tribality for comfort. Tribality and modernity have to

converse or conflict will abound.converse or conflict will abound.

Dialogue needs to escape the ‘good guy – bad guy’ level so predominant in world affairs today. Politics is

not about good and bad, but around interests, whether they be spiritual, cultural, social, political and/or economic. Unless particularities are taken seriously, acknowledging conflicts of interest for what they are and respecting their histories and

aspirations, little progress can be made in management or world affairs.

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• Acknowledge the issues involved Acknowledge the issues involved • Move beyond denial. in our everyday lives. Shake off the ‘shame’- the Move beyond denial. in our everyday lives. Shake off the ‘shame’- the real legacy of colonialism and apartheid.real legacy of colonialism and apartheid.• Incisive research and dialogue concerning the issues involved.Incisive research and dialogue concerning the issues involved.• Breaking away from the politically correct and facing the murky reality..Breaking away from the politically correct and facing the murky reality..• Strategic conversations at the coal face.Strategic conversations at the coal face.• Ways to support the people trying desperately to come to terms with Ways to support the people trying desperately to come to terms with contradictory demands on them, through groupwork, perhaps.contradictory demands on them, through groupwork, perhaps.• Reject entitlement and face our responsibilities.Reject entitlement and face our responsibilities.• Embrace meritocracy as the only way to cut through the webs of Embrace meritocracy as the only way to cut through the webs of favouritism and become productive. Exceptions made will open favouritism and become productive. Exceptions made will open loopholes for favouritisms of all sorts.loopholes for favouritisms of all sorts.

There are things that can be done to There are things that can be done to engender a honest understanding of the engender a honest understanding of the

issues involved at the management issues involved at the management level. It is possible to incubate a level. It is possible to incubate a

dialogue towards appropriate policies as dialogue towards appropriate policies as well as the processes and strategies for well as the processes and strategies for

implementation. implementation.

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In February 2004 I was invited to share In February 2004 I was invited to share these ideas at a special seminar on these ideas at a special seminar on

Building Capacity for the Future held by Building Capacity for the Future held by the Minister of Public Service and the Minister of Public Service and

AdministrationAdministration. Everyone acknowledged . Everyone acknowledged the issues as important but shied away the issues as important but shied away

from discussion. from discussion. They were described as so called soft They were described as so called soft

issues.issues. Two thoughts in conclusion: Two thoughts in conclusion:

The soft issues are the hard issues The soft issues are the hard issues and the particularities and the particularities

are stronger and healthier than they may are stronger and healthier than they may at first appear…at first appear…

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