Cross-cultural management in South African NGOs

Abstract

Little has been written on cross-cultural management in Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs), despite their apparent importance in managing people through reconciling cultural influences from post-colonial. Western and local sources, and despite development NGOs' working predominantly in multicultural societies. This article provides a model for analysing cross-cultural dynamics in the management of people through a concept of cultural crossvergence and hybridisation, and by incorporating the idea of locus of human value, focusing on instrumental and humanistic views of the value of people. Hypotheses are developed regarding the appropriateness of management systems to the cultural expectations of local staff, and the consequences for motivation and commitment. Through a study of local NGOs in South Africa, as an example of management in a multicultural, developing country, there is evidence of resistance to instrumental and results-oriented principles of managing people, such as performance related reward. Rather, there is a development of hybrid management forms that incorporate local, humanistic values and expectations. Yet cross-cultural issues appear not to be addressed formally through capacity building. These initial findings have implications for the way people are managed in local NGOs, and should be noted by local managers as well as policy makers in development agencies.