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Ubuntu as an Ethical Framework in Business Ethics for African Socio-Economic Development

Received: 6 November 2022     Accepted: 21 November 2022     Published: 22 August 2023
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Abstract

Contemporary business trends in Africa portray a spate of paradoxes in her socio-economic development. For instance, there is a rapid increase of international interventions and establishment of multinational corporations as a result of globalization; yet not much of this has been domesticated. Industrial and infrastructural developments are sprawled around us; yet unemployment is on the increase. While financial institutions and government agencies take capricious interests and levies in businesses; the human community and environment are left out in tatters. The media advertises business via any means possible, ignoring questions about moral values of individual persons in the society as well as companies that drive the economy. These happenings, no doubt, raise genuine cause for concern as it threatens African indigenous morality. This is a pointer to the fact that there is something lacking. That desideratum is a unifying business ethic. This paper is a research that attempts to fill that ethical gap. It is considered that the philosophical concept of Ubuntu – an African traditional philosophy of social existence is essential. It supports and encourages integral human development, and as such can serve as an ethical ideal in an ever-dynamic business operation in Africa.

Published in International Journal of Philosophy (Volume 11, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijp.20231103.13
Page(s) 63-68
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Ubuntu, Business, Ethics, African, Development

References
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[2] Leith, C. (1997). Growth and Structural Transformation in Botswana, University of Ontario, Departmental Research Report series 9702, Department of Economics, p. 22.
[3] Ewetan, O. (2013). Insecurity and Socio-Economic Development: Perspectives on the Nigerian Experience, Lecture Delivered at St. Timothy Anglican Church, Sango-Ota, Ogun state, p. 7.
[4] Thomas, D. (2005). Encyclopedia of Philosophy, p. iv.
[5] Russsouw, D, (2010). Key concepts in Business and Professional ethics, Ethics for Accountants and Auditors, edited by Prozesky Martins, Cape Town, Oxford University Press, pp. 16-26.
[6] Smith, A. (1790). The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Online: https://www.econlib.org/library/Smith/smMS1.htmi, Accessed on 24/6/2022.
[7] Ronald, B. (1991). HR Taking Policy Role in Corporate Ethics Program, Employment Relations Today, 18 (3), pp. 279-284.
[8] Sean, C. (2000). Marxism and Realism: A Materialistic Application of Realism in the Social Sciences, Routledge, New York, p. 1.
[9] Anthony, M. (1990). A Global Society, Modernity and its Features, edited by Stuart H., David H., and Anthony M., Cambridge, Polity Press, pp. 13-14.
[10] Igho, N. (2001). Resistance Politics: An Essay on the Future of Nigeria, Presented at the International Conference on the Challenges and Opportunities of Globalization at the Dawn of the Millennium, Organized by the African Studies Programme, Howard University, Washington, DC., April 11-12, p. 1.
[11] Cadbury, A. (2002). Business Dilemmas: Ethical Decision Making in Business, Case Histories in Business Ethics, edited by Megon, C. & Robinson, Routledge, London, p. 11.
[12] Aristotle, (1999). Nicomachean Ethics, trans by Ross, D. Kitchener, Batoche Books, X, p. 177.
[13] Hughes, L. (1926). The Negro and the Racial Mountain, the Nation, p. 10. Accessed on 28/10/2022 on http://faculty.wiu.edu
[14] Goldstein, N. (2011). Globalization and Free Trade, Infobase Publishing, p. 30.
[15] Moloketi, F. (2009). Towards a Common Understanding of Corruption, Africa, Public and Political Administration, 24 (3), pp. 331-338.
[16] Khoza, D. (2020). An investigation of Challenges faced by Women in a Male Dominated Heavy Metal Manufacturing Industry in South Gauteng, Mini-dissertation paper presented at the North-West University, p. 26 Accessed on 16/10/2022 on iD orcid.org 000-0002-4046-5502.
[17] Mbigi, L. and Maree, J. (2005). Ubuntu: The Spirit of African Transformation Management, Johannesburg: Knowledge Resources, p. 75.
[18] Ramose M. (1992). Globalization and Ubuntu, The African Philosophy Reader, p. 752 Accessed on 28/10/2022 on https://www.academia.edu.
[19] Lutz, D. (2009). African Ubuntu Philosophy and Global Management, Journal of Business Ethics, 84 (3), pp. 313-328.
[20] Saul, J. (2012), Socialism and Southern Africa, Marxism in the 21st Century: Crisis, Critique, and Struggle, edited by Michelle Williams and Vishwas Satgar, Johannesburg, Wisconsin University Press, p. 205.
[21] Connell, D. & Van, M. (2015). Ubuntu Feminism: Tentative Reflection, Verbum et Ecclesia, 36 (2), p. 1-8.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Yimini Shadrack George. (2023). Ubuntu as an Ethical Framework in Business Ethics for African Socio-Economic Development. International Journal of Philosophy, 11(3), 63-68. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20231103.13

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    ACS Style

    Yimini Shadrack George. Ubuntu as an Ethical Framework in Business Ethics for African Socio-Economic Development. Int. J. Philos. 2023, 11(3), 63-68. doi: 10.11648/j.ijp.20231103.13

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    AMA Style

    Yimini Shadrack George. Ubuntu as an Ethical Framework in Business Ethics for African Socio-Economic Development. Int J Philos. 2023;11(3):63-68. doi: 10.11648/j.ijp.20231103.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijp.20231103.13,
      author = {Yimini Shadrack George},
      title = {Ubuntu as an Ethical Framework in Business Ethics for African Socio-Economic Development},
      journal = {International Journal of Philosophy},
      volume = {11},
      number = {3},
      pages = {63-68},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijp.20231103.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20231103.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijp.20231103.13},
      abstract = {Contemporary business trends in Africa portray a spate of paradoxes in her socio-economic development. For instance, there is a rapid increase of international interventions and establishment of multinational corporations as a result of globalization; yet not much of this has been domesticated. Industrial and infrastructural developments are sprawled around us; yet unemployment is on the increase. While financial institutions and government agencies take capricious interests and levies in businesses; the human community and environment are left out in tatters. The media advertises business via any means possible, ignoring questions about moral values of individual persons in the society as well as companies that drive the economy. These happenings, no doubt, raise genuine cause for concern as it threatens African indigenous morality. This is a pointer to the fact that there is something lacking. That desideratum is a unifying business ethic. This paper is a research that attempts to fill that ethical gap. It is considered that the philosophical concept of Ubuntu – an African traditional philosophy of social existence is essential. It supports and encourages integral human development, and as such can serve as an ethical ideal in an ever-dynamic business operation in Africa.},
     year = {2023}
    }
    

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Author Information
  • Directorate of General Studies, University of Africa Toru-Orua, Bayelsa, Nigeria

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