UBUNTU

In the analysis is possible to say that the fact that cultures are different arround the world isn’t possible that just one way of management could exist. The thing is that in the 20th century the management was developed based on the writings of the age and also based on the western culture which is different to the others cultures like the African one or the Asian one.

Ubuntu and the humanness seem to be words or terminologies related, where people is important and relationship could be considered as fundamental part of the communication and communication considered as a fundament of the management in determinate places.

To be aware of the management in the topic of cultural philosophy the managers should know about the culture and try to have contact with the employees or at least with some of the leaders of the company. It is really important in countries like the African ones and the Latin American ones because the people from those latitudes need feel that they are important, it means that is a kind of reward when they are taken in account.

In those cases is important the background, each country has history and based on that history had been developed the culture, values and belief some good things or possible fears, for example in the African countries that had achieved the democratically life just few years ago is very important that the management of the companies could be elaborated in the plan of ubuntu of the “human interdependence” where the principal fact is the work in synergies, in teams having the suppression of self interest and been important and recognized by the others.

Trying to achieve the benefits for the company is important that every employee could feel comfortable and then the efficiency will be better, it means that should have communication between the top and the bottom of the company hierarchy and for the employee the benefit will be have the communication due the fact that they will be trained by the important areas and also will have a communication face to face where they could express feelings or problems that could be handle for the managers to avoid strikes or low efficiency.

The idea is that ubuntu has a solidarity humanness spirit where cooperation and competitiveness contribute to the best effort of the entire team. The thing is that in teams the work properly and the idea of strike is more effective. “Two brains think more than one” imagine more thinking; imagine a group of people behind the same goal.

picture taken from: http://www.fortunecookiechronicles.com/

Bibliography:

(Mangaliso, P. Mzamo, (2001) Building competitive advantage from ubuntu: Management lessons from South Africa, Academy of Management Executive, vol 15 no 3)

Creative Metaphor.

This week task consist in create a creative metaphor that could be used at the business strategy on a company focused on a specific product.
In the lecture about the intercontinental chain of hotel were possible to identify that they used a metaphor to reposition the quality and the importance of the hotels in the customer life. They use metaphors linked with music and used music as the main influential factor that could persuade customers.

"The grind gold served at your cup"

In the task, the product that is going to be exported is the coffee but knowing that coffee is already positioned in many foreign markets the idea is maintain the good image and open new markets where coffee from other latitudes is preferred such as Brazil. The principal thing about the product is that in the future it should have a evolution where flavors could be involved frequently on the Colombian coffee, for example this product could be café honey or coffee honey.
Linked with the metaphor is possible to say that always when the people ask for a cup of coffee they want the best and pure coffee. In places such as Colombia products like coffee and gold are made by the ground and are some of the most appreciated products because of the quality. The idea is that at exporting coffee from Colombia with flavors like honey, people understand that this product is made with the best Colombian quality and is almost valuable as the best world metal, gold. The idea is that while people is having a cup of Colombian coffee immediately think about the great coffee that is produced in Colombia and just enjoy the cup of coffee that is trying.

The strategies are:

• Been part of the “federacion nacional de cafeteros” could help to promote the coffee and the idea should be that they use also the idea of the Colombian coffee as gold. With the federation the possibility to be part of other markets could be easier because they have already contacts and ideas of how enter on a market. Specifically the idea is be part of the Brazilian market because even knowing that they produce the grain, Colombia has a different coffee features and it could be an attractive thing or also evaluating the possibility of make alliances with the Brazilian producers to have a mix between the grains and have a new product to export. It means that the coffee from Colombia and Brazil could have a taste of sweet and biter in the same coffee. It could be a innovation with possibilities to be successful.
• Have alliances with the principal coffee shops in the foreign market, for example companies like star bucks, prêt a manger, eat, and other big chains that use to serve the coffee on the table. The idea is use one of them or if is possible use all of them as allies giving them the best prices and best quality to achieve that possible the Colombian coffee could be sold exclusively in those stores or at least been the principal product.
• The hotel chains around the world could be one of the specific clients. Sale the coffee bags to make coffee in the restaurants. The ideas with them are sale the product and use the chain to promote the quality of the Colombian coffee.

bibliography: picture taken from: (http://www.cafedecolombia.com/particulares/es/sobre_el_cafe/)