Title: The passage of the coal train: the inevitable mosaic in technical systems in global and local organisation

Authors: Mambo Mupepi

Addresses: Seidman College of Business, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan, USA

Abstract: The search for greener pastures during the colonial era led many African youth to leave their homes to seek employment in Southern Africa's goldmines, and commercial farms. Colour-bar prevented them of opportunities to becoming specialist. The immigrant experiences echo sentiments of inequality. They built some of the largest world economies and their efforts remained unrecognised. The rise of the civil rights movement in the sixties coincided with a concerted effort to do away with political oppression in all spheres of social life during the same period in Africa. The construction of useful global organisation demands an understanding of the historical past and the scarcity of talent and competency necessary in triumphant businesses.

Keywords: colonial era; conscripted labour; socio-technical systems; STS; diversity; institutionalisation; job evaluation; modus operandi; mosaic; punctuated cultural equilibrium; traditional authority; goldmines; commercial farms; colour bar; immigrant experience; inequality; civil rights movement; political oppression; Southern Africa; global organisations; historical understanding; history; African migration.

DOI: 10.1504/AJESD.2016.076092

African Journal of Economic and Sustainable Development, 2016 Vol.5 No.2, pp.149 - 171

Received: 11 Jul 2015
Accepted: 12 Jul 2015
Published online: 23 Apr 2016 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article