Ubuntu a competetive advantage

Before start talking about the benefits that this theory can give to managers, I think it’s important for you to know what it is.

Ubuntu is a theory created in South Africa, which argues that when a manager takes into account how people think and behave between each other, will have a competitive advantage and will avoid many problems that have relationship to employees like strikes, low production, attitude of the workers and others.

image taken from http://www.globaltrainingsystems.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=ArticleList&SectionID=164

Unbuntu theory tries to understand the culture, values, norms, and beliefs held by the largest segment of the population, the philosophical thought system itself is a product of various factors including history, folklore, mythology, culture, norms, values, and religious beliefs, and this way know how to manage the employees.

I think the benefits of this theory can be huge for a company because when you understand the culture of your employees, you would be able to know in what situations they feel comfortable in which not, what to do to make them work harder, what to do to avoid conflicts in the organization, how to improve the efficiency etc.

Here I will put some of the competitive advantages that ubuntu theory can give in the different areas of the company:

- Relationships with others: People are intrinsically motivated to contribute more when they are valued

- Language and communication: Shared understanding of deeper meaning supports complex consensus. Ubuntu communication means concerted action that is adaptable.

- Time: Punctuality is a virtue, but time's healing dimension is a hidden competitive advantage for ubuntu.

- Productivity: Sustainable competitive advantage comes from strong loyalty to group goals in ubuntu.

Reeferences:

document Building competitive advantage from ubuntu: Management lessons from South Africa

San Jacinto Hammocks

Image taken form http://www.absolut-colombia.com/hamacas-de-san-jacinto-tradicion-de-la-costa-caribe/

Using a metaphor to attract new clients is one of the most efficient strategies that a manager can use, because by mixing different things you would have more impact in the client.

My idea is to sell hammocks from San Jacinto Colombia in United States , the metaphor I will use in this case would be telling the buyers the tradition that this product has in Colombia and of course the uses that the product has. The idea is to design a special package with pictures from San Jacinto, and a text that tells about the tradition of the hammocks in Colombia, it would say something like:

“San Jacinto hammocks are made from a web of interweaved threads and they come in various colors. The most curious thing is that you can see them in homes located in every corner of Colombia, especially near the Caribbean Coast and in other regions with warm weather.
These hammocks are ideal for outdoor areas, because they can be used as a bed, a sofa and even as a swing.
The origin of these hammocks can be found in the Indian civilizations, where they were called “INI”. When Christopher Columbus saw one for the first time, he was surprised and then took some of them to be used by the sailors, which helped reduce the space used for beds on the boats and kept the marines fresh during their resting hours.
Right now the hammocks are produced in a small town called San Jacinto, therefore the name of San Jacinto Hammocks.”
The images of San Jacinto will be important too to get the attention of the people, these will be the images:



Images taken from:
http://www.eluniversal.com.co/v2/%C2%A1que-suene-la-gaita
http://colombia.acambiode.com/producto_5654254566668655652532600303225.html
http://www.colombia.travel/es/turista-internacional/actividad/historia-y-tradicion/artesanias/tejidos-colombianos


This product is really original and will be exhibit in the malls of United States; it will help the Colombian companies that to be more recognized and to have amazing sells.

References
http://www.absolut-colombia.com/hamacas-de-san-jacinto-tradicion-de-la-costa-caribe/