Cross Cultural Management

CROSS-CULTURAL MANAGEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA : PROBLEMS, OBSTACLES, AND AGENDA FOR COMPANIES

Nathalie Prime, Groupe ESCP-EAP



ABSTRACT

Within the context of opening of South African economy, the purpose of this paper is to explore cross cultural management issues in South African multicultural organisations. Using an emic approach, sixteen business cases were studies to explore the following questions : (1) What are the major problems and obstacles to be faced by South African firms to create a non racial integrative corporate culture ? ; (2) What agenda could be agreed upon by corporate management to efficiently manage cultural diversity in a transitional environment ?

Within the context of opening of South African economy, the purpose of this paper is to explore the problems and obstacles to efficient cross-cultural management as well as what could be the agenda for building a corporate non racial integrative culture in South African multicultural organizations. Since the first all-race elections in 1994 when apartheid was abolished, South Africa has been facing the challenge to manage the tremendous cultural diversity of its people, while confronted with the context of economic transition towards global economy. For the first time in South African history, the choice was democratically made to look at future prospects within a co-development approach, rather than a seperate development (apartheid) that used to prevail. Still, international press is often stressing the fact that almost nothing has changed in daily life [1] : the symbolic vision of the « Rainbow Nation » does not always keep up with reality. Thus, using an emic approach, sixteen business cases were studies to explore the following questions : (1) What are the major problems and obstacles to be faced by South African firms to create a non racial integrative corporate culture ? ; (2) What agenda could be agreed upon by corporate management to efficiently manage cultural diversity... [continues]

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