Contextualizing Organizational Change Management in Africa: Incorporating the Core Values of Ubuntu

Abstract

ABSTRACT Most of the business models and theories available to assist organizations in adapting their strategies to today’s dynamic business environment are based on the Anglo-Saxon worldview. Yet most scholars acknowledge that these theories have limited application in cultures outside of the Anglo-Saxon world. There is a dearth of research that infuses Western conceived theories of management with indigenous ontologies. To close this gap, this paper discusses managing change from an African perspective with specific reference to sub-Saharan Africa. It utilizes the philosophy Ubuntu that pervades the subcontinent as the bedrock on which change management can be anchored, asserting that embracing the Ubuntu values offers the best outcomes for managing organizations in Africa. Using Kurt Lewin’s change management model, the paper shows how incorporating the indigenous ontologies based on ubuntu in its execution can lead to sustainable change management in the sub-continent.