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Chris LindgrenENG 655Dr. Bruce Maylath12.16.2010

DOING BUSINESS IN SOUTHERN SUDAN, ETHIOPIA, AND KENYA: A WESTERNERS GUIDE

INTRODUCTION

This report seeks to educate business and organizational managers and professional communicators on some preliminary information when traveling and interacting with the diverse population within Southern Sudan for the first time. It will provide a glimpse into the diverse set of cultures by also discussing Southern Sudan in the frame of two of its bordering countires: Ethiopia and Kenya. So, while this guide provides information on how to conduct culturally aware communication in all three countries, it will also provide a discussion on how both Kenya and Ethiopia are interconnected with Southern Sudan. Overall, it will serve as a beginners guide to doing business in these three countries with communication, cultural sensitivity, and safety at the forefront.

This type of report is vital for businesses and investors who desire to invest in the economic growth of these countries. As international technical communicator Nancy L. Hoft argues, a business that makes hasty decisions to localize their product or business to a new culture is making large risks towards potential failure (125). Researchers Mesmin Tchindjang, Athanase Bopda and Louise Angéline Ngamgne argue that

In Africa, languages and intangible heritage, have long been ignored or ridiculed by intervention that confuses economic growth with development, accumulation with equitable sharing, and force with power, in projects designed by those incapable of speaking the language of the people who are affected yet not even consulted. (45)

Business owners and investors must consider how important it is to, as Hoft stresses, understand their own cultural bias, so they can make better informed decisions that consider the culture that is directly affected by such decisions.

There is even more reason to consider these cultural differences, as they also create an avenue to a successful business operation. International business consultant to Southern Sudan, David Raad, discusses in how he was able to help a western security firm overtake the competitor’s majority market within one year because he helped them localize their business to the culture, rather than take shortcuts and only go through the standard legal and administrative processes to establish a business (“South Sudan Business Blog”). There are numerous reasons for businesses to broaden their cultural awareness that, as this examples conveys, even affects the bottom line.

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International professional communicator Carl R. Lovitt argues that international technical communicators require the skill to evaluate cultural interactions, so they can adapt, or localize, “their communications to the needs of particular situations” (quoted in Bosley, 8). As a result, it is important for managers and communicators to study the cultures that makeup their target audience(s), as to not make important decisions on the localization of your business or product based on cross-cultural assumption.

This report frames culture as what Geert Hofstede describes as the “patterns and thinking, feeling, and acting mental programs,” (124). The examination of these variances between cultures are what enable businesses to make better decisions when conducting a generalized localization analysis of a target market.

The following report provides some of the preliminary best practices for managers, trainers, communicators, and businesses in the following chapters: (1) Southern Sudan; (2) Ethiopia and Kenya and Their Relations with Southern Sudan; and (3) Africa’s Orality and What It Means For Western Businesses.

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CHAPTER 1. SOUTHERN SUDAN

SOUTHERN SUDAN: AN OVERVIEW

Sudan is one of the most diverse countries in the world with over 400 languages and dialects (Chapin Metz, 1991). The capital city is Khartoum, but the civil war between the north and south, which ended in 2005, has led to the possibility of a separation of the two regions (U.S. Department of State, “Sudan: Country Specific Information”).  According to the U.S. Department of State the “multi-party conflict continues in the west in Darfur, and the armed Ugandan group known as The Lord’s Resistance Army is present in the south. Security conditions are adverse in these and some other regions.  Transportation networks and other forms of infrastructure are poor and do not meet western standards.  Even where available, water and electric services suffer frequent outages.

What makes Sudan even more challenging to understand from an outsiders perspective are the distinctions between Sudan's Muslim and non-Muslim people. There are no simple ways to distinguish these groups “based on linguistic, cultural, or racial criteria nor to social or political solidarity,” reports the U.S. Department of State (Chapin Metz, 1991). They go on to discuss how “[e]thnic group names commonly used in Sudan and by foreign analysts are not always used by the people themselves,” making it even more difficult for business managers and professional communicators to begin localizing their products. The U.S. Department of State notes how the Dinka and the Nuer, the largest groups in southern Sudan, call themselves, respectively, Jieng and Naath.

What follows is a provision of some of the country facts and demographics.

People(adapted from U.S. Department of State, “Background Note: Sudan”, 2010)

o Nationality: Sudanese (Noun and adjective, singular and plural)

o Population (July 2009 est.): 41,087,825; 43% urban.Annual population growth rate (2009 est.): 2.143%

o Ethnic groups: Arab/Muslim north and black African/Christian and animist south.

o Religions: Islam (official), indigenous beliefs (southern Sudan), Christianity.

o Languages: Arabic (official and is spoken by 60% of the population), English (official and is widely spoken in the south), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages (CIA, “The World Factbook”, 2010). According to a report by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), “[t]here are an estimated 115 tribal languages, of which over 27 or more are each spoken by more than 100,000 people” (17).

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o Education: Years compulsory--8. Attendance--35%-40%. Literacy--61.1%

o Health: Infant mortality rate--82.43/1,000. Life expectancy--51.42 yrs

o Work force: Agriculture--80%; industry and commerce--7%; government--13%

o Time zone: GMT+3

Government (adapted from Bureau of African Affairs, 2010)

o Official name: Republic of Sudan

o Legal system: Sharia (Islamic law) applies in both civil and criminal cases in the north. Although there are some special provisions for non-Muslims. The south has a non-Islamic legal system

o National legislature: Sudan has a bicameral parliament with a 450-member National Assembly (with 60% of seats elected by majority voting in geographical constituencies and 40% by proportional representation, including 25% reserved for women), together with a Council of States composed of two representatives elected by each state assembly

o National elections: April 2010 (presidential and parliamentary)

o Head of state: Omar al-Bashir, who took office following a 1989 coup and was sworn in as president in October 1993, and was most recently re-elected in April 2010

o National government: The government is a coalition between the National Congress Party (NCP) and its former adversary in the north-south civil war, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), with a few minor parties such as the Eastern Front also represented.

o Main political partiesL The main northern opposition parties include the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), the Umma Party and the Popular Congress Party (PCP). In Darfur the main political-military groups are the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the fragmented Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM).

Climate (adapted from EIU, Country Report Sudan September 2010)

o Rainy season from April to October (average annual rainfall 1,000 mm)

o Hottest month, May, 26-42°C; coldest month, January, 16-32°C; driest months, January-April, usually no rainfall; wettest month, August, 72 mm average rainfall (average annual rainfall 200 mm)

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Measurements

According to the EIU, the metric system is used predominantly, but “some local measure[ments] are also used: 1 diraa = 58 cm; 1 feddan = 0.39 ha; 12 keilas = 1 arde = 1.98 hl” (17).

Currency

The EIU reports that “in 2007 the Sudanese pound replaced the Sudanese dinar as the national currency at a value of SP1=SD100. The pound is made up of 100 qirush/piaster” (17).

Public Holidays (adapted from the EIU, “Country Report Sudan September 2010”)

o Independence Day (January 1st)

o Coptic Christmas (January 7th)

o Peace Agreement Day (January 9th)

o The Prophet's birthday (February 26th 2010)

o Coptic Easter (April 4th-5th, 2010)

o Labor Day (May 5th)

o Revolution Day (June 30th)

o Eid al-Fitr (October 10th 2010)

o Eid al-Adha (November 15th, 2010)

o Islamic New Year (December 7th, 2010)

o Christmas Day (December 25th)

o The dates of the Islamic festivals are dependent upon the actual sighting of the moon.

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METHODS OF TRANSPORTATION

When traveling in Sudan, there are some methods to use to exercise caution and increase your safety. The following map published by The Economist Intelligence Unit provides a reference to the capitols, major airports and towns, and other towns along the main roads.

Figure 2. Map of Sudan’s major travel routes (Economist Intelligence Unit, 2010).

Land

When traveling by land, it is recommended that you drive in groups of people with at least two vehicles in case one vehicle should break down. As with any other methods of transportation, it is also recommended that you should not linger in any one area for an extended period of time.

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There are options to ride busses or taxis between some of the major cities and areas. Gurtong Trust – Peace and Media Project, a not-for-profit organization led by South Sudanese journalist and author Jacob Jiel Akol, provides the following compilation of travel routes between the major towns in South Sudan:

Central Equatoria StateTraveling around the state is relatively easy though travelers are advised to take extra precaution especially if travelling at night.

Yei to Raba: Up to 4 hours drive - 40 Sudanese Pounds Yei to Laso (border town with Democratic Republic of Congo): No buses run to this

smaller border town Yei to Juba: Four hour drive by bus - 30 Sudanese Pounds

Jonglei StateTravelling around the state is difficult as there is very little infrastructure if any. Thus public transport is limited in many places.

Bor to Juba: Four to 5 hours drive; Prices vary from 35 to 50 Sudanese Pounds, depending on type of vehicle

Bor to Twic East and Duk counties: Three to 6 hours drive Bor to (Padak) Baidit: 10 Sudanese Pounds Bor to Jalle: 15 Sudanese Pounds Bor to Mareng: 5 Sudanese Pounds Bor to Pariak: 10 Sudanese Pounds

Unity StateNo specific bus companies or taxi firms but plenty of privately owned transportation serving all counties except Panyijiar, which is only accessible via plane.

Bentiu to Mayom: One hour and a half to 2 hours drive; 12 Sudanese Pounds Bentiu to Biemnom: Two to 3 hours drive; 22 Sudanese Pounds Bentiu to Panrieng: Two to 2.5 hours drive; 15 Sudanese Pounds (adapted from

“Road Travel”)

Aviation

After the signing of the CPA in 2005, numerous private companies have begun to provide air travel (Gurtong, “Transport and Communication”). Currently, only some of the major cities in South Sudan, such as Juba in the south, are equipped with the proper facilities for air travel.

Larger private companies such as Aircraft Leasing Services (ALS) offer a variety of “customized aviation solutions” from tourism, transportation of cargo, VIP charter, to ambulance and evacuation flights (Aircraft Leasing Services). Yet, it should be noted that because “there is no

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direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Sudan, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the government of Sudan’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards” (Sudan: Country Specific Information).

Travel Difficulties and Safety

The Department of State reports that U.S. and European citizens “have been victims of kidnappings, carjackings, and armed robberies while travelling in Sudan,” and that militias in the south “have instigated sporadic violence and attacked locations in Southern Sudan” (“Travel Warning: Sudan”). The Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the U.K. reports that “attacks are frequent [in South Sudan], even on major routes (e.g. the Joba to Bor road)” ("Travel and Living Abroad"). The U.S. Department of State also advises not to travel on land during the night and to obey any curfews set into place.

When traveling on land, the U.S. State Department advises that “[v]isitors should travel only on main roads, unless a competent de-mining authority such as the UN has marked an area as clear of mines. They also report that “land mines remain a major hazard in southern Sudan, especially south of the city of Juba” (“Sudan: Country Specific Information”)., and that visitors should be cautious when traveling along the southern border around Uganda, since the group known as The Lord’s Resistance Army has reportedly “announced [that] it will target U.S. Citizens”. Furthermore, since Sudan’s topography is generally comprised of flatlands along the land borders, which includes nine other countries, land travelers must also be aware that “[c]onflict in these countries occasionally spills over into Sudan”.

In more populated areas such as Khartoum or Juba, visitors should be avoid any political events or demonstrations, which are both “planned and spontaneous” and could lead to violence (“Sudan: Country Specific Information”).

The U.S. Embassy provides regular updates on the status of travel safety in these regions via Warden Messages, which can be found online at the following address: http://sudan.usembassy.gov/warden_messages.html.

They also recommend signing up for their Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, which provides up-to-date information via the web. You can sign up for this program at the following address: https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/.

Travel specifically between the north and south is very difficult, and foreigners are highly advised not to travel within 25 miles of the border (Foreign and Commonwealth Office). According to the director of the Africa Growth Initiative, Mwangi S. Kimenyi, “the border between the north and south was supposed to be demarcated within six months [after the 2005 CPA agreement], but it still has not happened. The border runs through the main oil-producing area, making it a highly volatile region” (Brookings.edu).

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South Sudan’s natural terrain and seasonal changes create a variety of challenges for land travel. Specifically, the Sudd grass swamp, the largest grass swamp in the world, creates many logistical problems for travelers. During the wet season, from March to October, roads and other main travel routes become flooded because of the swelling Sudd (“Travel Warning: Sudan”). In spite of the Sudd and floating vegetation, the White Nile is navigable throughout the year from Juba to Khartoum.

COMMUNICATION IN SOUTH SUDAN

The diversity and multilingual nature of Sudan consequently has produced many lingua francas. Particular to South Sudan is a pidgin called Juba Arabic. This pidgin which is typically “developed and learned informally, had been used in southern towns, particularly in Al Istiwai, for some time and had spread slowly but steadily throughout the south, but not always at the expense of English” (Chapin Metz). It is used in the marketplace, and it should be noted that it cannot be understood by northern Sudanese.

Despite Arabic's status as the official national language, the Sudanese in the south maintain that it is a political issue, since it has direct associations to the population in the north. Due to this derogation of Arabic in the south, “English was acknowledged as the principal language in southern Sudan in the late 1980s” (Chapin Metz).

The following subsections provide an overview of some of the basic “unspoken” communication practices by most Sudanese.

Communication Tips (adapted from UniBusiness, “Cross-Cultural Communication: Sudan”)

o Shake hands when greeting and make eye contact with the person and shake hands again upon leaving.

o Sudanese people stand close to each other during a conversation.

o Backing up to increase personal space will likely be seen as impolite or rude.

o When speaking with a person of the opposite sex, a respectful distance is best.

o Informal conversation and ritualized greetings serve to establish friendly relations at the beginning of a meeting.

o Pointing with the index finger is thought to be rude in Sudan.

Business Attire (adapted from UniBusiness, “Cross-Cultural Communication: Sudan”)

o Men in Sudan typically wear casual business clothing, and some men wear the more

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traditional Jalabiya, which is traditionally a wide, ankle-long Muslim gown.

o Women garments typically have sleeves and the dress length is usually below the knee. Some women wear a skirt with a white Toab as a top.

Meetings, Presentations, and Negotiation Tactics (adapted from UniBusiness, “Cross-Cultural Communication: Sudan”)

o Sudanese prefer to do business with those they know and trust, therefore expect to spend time making a personal relationship before business is conducted.

o Sudanese hosts tend to be very hospitable and regard treating guests with generosity and warmth as a point of personal honor.

o Punctuality is not rigidly observed in Sudan.

o Avoid the appearance of being in a hurry or impatient in a business context. Checking one’s watch in a meeting can be deemed offensive.

CONCLUSION

This guide to doing business in Southern Sudan provides some general information about the developing region poised to possibly become its own country in January 2011. It is in no way a comprehensive view of the vast diversity of Sudan, but it will hopefully enable you to prepare for some of the initial cultural differences, when conducting business in Southern Sudan.

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CHAPTER 2. ETHIOPIA AND KENYA AND THEIR RELATIONS WITH SOUTHERN SUDAN

This chapter reviews the relations of two of Southern Sudan’s bordering countries: Ethiopia and Kenya. Due to the complex nature of some of the relationships within these multilingual, multiethnic countries, the scope of this chapter will discuss each bordering country within regards to Southern Sudan, as well as provide some basic communication practices in business settings.

ETHIOPIA: AN OVERVIEW

Ethiopia, like most every other sub-Sarahan African country, is a complex culture with multiple cultures and ethnic groups. The people of the country fall under four for the following groups of language: Ethio-Semitic, Cushitic, Omotic, Nilo-Sarahan. Each of these language groups and the diverse group of ethnicities that speak them have been “mixing” for centuries, creating a situation where few of these ethnic entities are “discernable [if] only by inference” (Ofcansky and Berry, 1991). The mixing of these groups continues today, and makes for a very complex picture of Ethiopia.

The official working language of Ethiopia is Amharic. It is “rated as having a fairly stable standard variety [and is] used in all domains of formal communication” (Yimam, 105). According to the Ethnologue, English is the most widely spoken foreign language in Ethiopia that is also taught in schools (2009).

Religion plays a large role in the politics and life in Ethiopia. Over 43% of the population are Orthodox Christian, while 33% are Muslim, and the remaining population who practice other forms of Christianity and other native religions.

According to the U.S. Department of State, “most of the Christians live in the highlands, while Muslims and adherents of traditional African religions tend to inhabit lowland regions”

(“Background Note: Ethiopia”). Although, there is a large population of Muslims who live in the country’s capital Addis Ababa.

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Figure 3. Political Map of Ethiopia (“Ethiopia Map”)

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ETHIOPIA’S RELATIONS WITH SOUTHERN SUDAN

Southern Sudan and Ethiopia have just recently over the last few years become more involved politically and economically. In 2008, the two governments “signed a series of agreements to develop joint projects in their neighboring states where tribes like Nuer and Anyuak are present on both sides of the border, in order to promote peaceful neighborhood” (Sudan Tribune, 2009). The Sudan tribune also reported that they also both “signed a number of economic agreements related to housing projects, fluvial transportation, aerial flights between Juba and Addis Ababa, … and the State-owned Commercial Bank of Ethiopia opened a branch in Juba.”

COMMUNICATION IN ETHIOPIA

When conducting business in Ethiopia, be sure to note that they are generally “non-confrontational and offer what they believe is the expected response rather than say something that might embarrass another” (“Ethiopia: Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette”, 2010). Although they are typically soft spoken, they “pride themselves on their eloquent speaking style and expect others to speak clearly and use metaphor, allusion, and witty innuendoes. They often use exaggerated phrases to emphasize a point” (“Ethiopia: Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette”, 2010)

The following information provides you with a set of unspoken rules that you can be sure to be aware of before traveling to Ethiopia.

Gift Giving Etiquette (adapted from Kwintessential.co.uk, “Ethiopia: Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette”, 2010)

o Gifts may be given to celebrate events of significance or religious occasions.

o Since Ethiopia is an extremely poor country, expensive gifts are not the norm. In fact, giving a gift that is too expensive may be viewed negatively. It may be seen as an attempt to garner influence or it may embarrass the recipient as they will not be able to match it in kind.

o If you are invited to an Ethiopian’s home, bring pastries, fruit, or flowers to the host.

o A small gift for the children is always appreciated.

o Do not bring alcohol unless you know that your host drinks. Most Muslims and Amharic people do not.

o Gifts are not opened when received

o Gifts are given with two hands or the right hand only; never the left hand.

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Meeting Etiquette (adapted from Kwintessential.co.uk, “Ethiopia: Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette”, 2010)

o Greetings are formal and courteous.

o Handshakes are somewhat prolonged and not especially firm. They are always combined with strong, direct eye contact.

o There is generally no touching between the sexes; however, if a foreign businesswoman extends her hand, a cosmopolitan Ethiopian may accept it to avoid causing her offense.

o Never rush greeting; enquire about people’s families, health and work.

o Government officials may be addressed as "Excellency" without using their name.

o Wait to be invited before moving to a first name basis without the honorific title.

o Business cards are given without formal ritual.

o Present and receive business cards with the right hand only or with both hands.

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KENYA: AN OVERVIEW

Kenya is a multilingual country with 42 indigenous languages with Kiswahili and English as their official languages (CIA: The World Factbook, Kenya, 2010). A large majority of the people are Christian with a variant population of who adhere to Islam (approximately 10%). According to the Republic of Kenya, “[e]ach group is part of one of three larger indigenous groups, the Bantus, Cushites and Nilotes.The Bantu, who make up about 70% of Kenya's population, live mostly in the coastal, central and western regions of the country” (“People and Language”, 2010).

KENYA’S RELATIONS WITH SOUTHERN SUDAN

Kenya has been very involved with Southern Sudan during the civil war between the north and south. They have played a large role in negotiating for peace in Sudan, and are the founding members of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), founded in 1986 (“Kenya’s Role in Sudan”, 2010). IGAD incorporates the following seven African countries: Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda and Eritrea.

According to the Republic of Kenya, “[b]eginning in 2002, the government of Kenya helped to facilitate the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), … meant to end the second Sudanese civil war” (“Kenya’s Role in Sudan”, 2010). They have also claimed to be key players in the Southern Sudanese 2011 independence referendum, citing the following actions taken on their part:

o Since the peace agreement was signed in 2005, Kenya has carried out five years of shuttle

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Figure 4. Political Map of Kenya (“Map of Kenya”)

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diplomacy between Juba and Khartoum, the capitals of south and north Sudan, respectively, to keep both sides on track.

o Kenya has provided 35,000 primary school teachers to the south, which has suffered decades of neglect and fighting. In addition, Kenya has lent some of its best and brightest civil servants to help Juba create a professional civil service.

o Earlier in 2010, President Kibaki hosted an IGAD Special Summit on Sudan in Nairobi which called upon Northern and Southern Sudan to develop a working formula that would ensure collaboration for the effective implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

o President Kibaki recently spoke at the 65th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) where he called on the international community to lend its support to Sudan as it prepares for its January referendum.

o In a sideline meeting during the UNGA, he also pushed for other members of the IGAD, consisting of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda, to take initiative in ensuring the success of the referendum.

o At this year's Global Peace Convention in Nairobi, President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga came together to call on the international community to support Sudan's efforts to restore security with the January 9, 2011 referendum vote. (“Kenya’s Role in Sudan”)

COMMUNICATION IN KENYA

Typically, Kenyans speak in a more narrative style as to avoid blunt statements and offend anyone (“Kenya: Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette”, 2010). They use metaphors, analogies, and stories to illustrate their position on a topic. According to the translation company Kwintessential, who are registered ISO 9001 company, “Kenyans may gesture for emphasis when speaking. Loud voices are generally only used during disagreements in business situations, although in rural areas, louder speaking tones are the norm.”

The following information provides you with a set of unspoken rules that you can be sure to be aware of before traveling to Kenya.

Meeting and Greeting Etiquette (adapted from Kwintessential.co.uk, “Kenya: Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette”, 2010)

o Handshakes are the most common greeting in business.

o When being introduced to someone for the first time, the handshake is short, while handshakes among people with a personal relationship are longer.

o It is a sign of respect to lower your eyes when greeting someone of a higher status or

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someone who is obviously older than you.

o Men should wait for a woman to extend her and first.

o To rush a greeting is extremely rude. Take the time to inquire about the other person’s general well-being, family, and business in general.

o Titles are important. Use the honorific title plus any academic or professional title and the surname.

o Wait to be invited before moving to a first name basis.

o Business cards are exchanged without formal ritual.

o Present and receive business cards with two hands.

Business Attire (adapted from UniBusiness, “Cross-Cultural Communication: Kenya”)

o Women: conservative dresses or skirts

o Men: Western fashion, much of clothing is imported from Britain. A two-or-three-piece suit with tie. When dining in a restaurant, a jacket and tie is standard.

Gift Giving Etiquette (adapted from Kwintessential.co.uk, “Kenya: Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette”, 2010)

o In general, Kenyans give gifts for events of significance in a person’s life or days of religious significance.

o Gifts need not be expensive. In fact, practical gifts are preferred. Kenya is a poor country and a gift of something that the person cannot generally afford is always welcome.

o It is customary to give small gifts to servants, trades people, and service workers at Christmas.

o If invited to dinner at a Kenyan’s home, bring pastries, flowers, or sweets for the hostess. In rural areas, gifts of sugar or tea are quite common.

o Gifts should be nicely wrapped, although there are no prohibitions concerning the color of paper.

o Do not bring alcohol unless you know that your host drinks.

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o Gifts should be given using the right hand only or both hands. Never use the left hand.CHAPTER 3. AFRICA’S ORALITY AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR WESTERN BUSINESSES

This final chapter provides a general framework that current research has considered the African context that includes information and suggestions on how to organize, train, and manage employees in African countries. It discusses the work of Gérémie Sawadogo, who has over 20 years of experience as a business trainer in numerous sub-Sarahan African Countries.

SAWADOGO’S “TRAINING FOR THE AFRICAN MIND”

Gérémie Sawadogo provides a general framework for businesses to consider utilizing when training and communicating with native workers in the sub-Saharan African countries. He recommends businesses use the following four key areas to help professional communicators develop proper and effective training activities:

1. Learning as a Passive Process2. Knowledge is Respected3. Giving and Receiving Feedback4. The “Language” of Training (1995)

The following four subsections will discuss Sawadogo’s framework for your reference.

1. Learning as a Passive Process

Sarawdogo reports that “in most of sub-Sarahan Africa, from the birth to the age of 14 (the time at which most people are initiated), the child or adolescent is expected to be a passive learner and one who asks a minimal number of questions” (283). Consequently, what we as westerners may perceive as a “lack of energy, … direction and leadership,” most Africans perceive the passivity as “a sign that one is wise and has self-control”. As a result Sawadogo suggests the following model for learning in an African context:

Sawadogo recommends this model for learning for adult learners as well, because questions are still not valued as the method to learn. According to Sawadogo, “questions are considered intrusive in the African context and it is improper to ask questions, especially of older people or strangers. He notes how Africans definitely have many questions to ask, but to do so they “soften” the inquiry by proposing or suggesting an answer within the question. Here, again, a Westerner may perceive this as being, as Sawadogo says, “presumptuous,” and “assuming or even arrogant,” but in an African context it is perceived as a politeness marker. This presents a dilemma for the interview process. Sawadogo elaborates on this issue by saying that “failing to ask questions decreases one’s chance of being hired,” as a Westerner would expect a job candidate to inquire about the position after the interview. (284).

One more important difference from the way questions are asked by Westerners is how Africans typically ask questions to “increase one’s understanding of phenomena or societal rules, but not

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to challenge them” (Sawadogo, 284). Sawadogo contrasts this to our use of questions “to check the veracity of a fact, statement, or phenomenon”.

2. Knowledge is Respected

In Africa, learning is a very interdependent process. Sawadogo explains that “knowledge is highly valued, respected, and even feared in Africa, [so] the learner grows very dependent on the trainer” (284). Geert Hofstede calls this cultural preference as collectivism “which stands for a preference for tightly knit social framework in which individuals can expect their relatives, clan, or other in-group to look after them, in exchange for unquestioning loyalty” (348). This cultural value for interdependence on each other has some distinguishing factors from our own western ideals of individualism. In an African context independence can convey a derogative signal of being a disrespectful to the highly valued action of preserving and transmitting tradition.

Even though there is an overarching cultural sense of collectivism, there are contexts in which Africans find independence acceptable. Sawadogo aptly notes how Western training programs become problematic, since it demands that individuals who may not know each other interact and participate in-group activities together. He suggests that lectures can be an important method to utilize, since the “ability to memorize facts is highly valued” (285). He also provides the following suggestion for group activities, due to how Africans put an emphasis on age, experience, and consensus:

[A trainer] might start by forming small homogeneous groups of two to three people and progressively move from small groups to medium-sized groups involving from four to eight people while still taking into consideration factors of gender, age, and social class. (285)

Given this difference in learning, it is important to consider how you can foster this type of environment for learning.

3. Giving and Receiving Feedback

Sawadogo discusses how he has yet to know of any instance when he has heard feedback from African trainees, since “the hierarchical relationship that exists between trainers and trainees … allows only a person of authority—either by age or knowledge—to be in a position to offer feedback” (287). Hofstede refers to this cultural dimension as power distance, which “is the extent to which the members of a society accept that power in institutions and organization is distributed unequally” (347).

Sawadogo suggests that trainers use “an intermediary to help channel feedback comments back to the trainer. Otherwise, the trainer or manager can do the following:

In the African context, effective feedback can be obtained only if it is conducted in the appropriate sequences (similar to greetings). In the first stage, feedback is devoted to identifying and discussing positive aspects of the training session; in the second stage, the trainer might gradually move on to solicit recommendations. (288)

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For review, Sawadogo discusses how trainers and managers should consider the use of activities. These activities should include a good amount of observational time as well as facilitate learning by seeing, listening, and memorizing.

4. The “Language” of Learning

Sawadogo begins to question the use of English and other Western languages, because they “convey different perceptions, realities, and world views. He argues that languages such as English French typically use inductive cognitive processes, which is in sharp contrast to African languages, which usually employ deductive cognitive processes. (290) He suggests using a narrative approach that includes a lot of repetition coupled with critical incidents.

CONCLUSION

Ultimately, the success of your business depends on your ability to train and manage your employees. Sawadogo presents some key areas to implement when developing business plans in an African context.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

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