Earlier Management Practice and Thinking: Hediya Peoples’ Indigenous Management Philosophy in the Construction of “Mud-Hut” In Central Ethiopia Regional State

Abstract

The main problems of research are: the impact of social environment on human behaviour has contributed to the debate against the management view of universal applicability, and also there are multiple challenges for the African indigenous management theories development. The research aims to have an indigenous management philosophy of the Hediya people in Ethiopia in their mud-hut construction. The study is carried out using the metaphoric method of the qualitative research approach. The researcher collected metaphoric data from the Hediy-nefra of Lemo community where researcher was born, and through his observation while living in his lifetime. The findings include the strongest essence of team work, strategic recruitment and selections, motivating of employees through financial and non-financial factors such as team environment and work design. Particularly, the finding includes: continuing of employees’ benefit for the ex-employees is important not only for them but also for the organisation on the future; employees are enforced to give focus on the work quality not to have current work related benefits but also it is a means of getting employment and finance in the future. In the management idea of Hediya peoples’ indigenous hut building system, the relationship of an organisation with competitors was being practiced positively and helping each other, so that it needs to be enforced. Besides, the good quality of current work will attract a lot of employers other than current workers/organisation with referent of previous hut construction quality. The hut construction concept of Ethiopians’ management practices should be verified.

Keywords

• rounded mud-hut
• base construction
• pole/pillar
• hatch/thatch
• beam