Some tentative comments on the black manager in a white world

Abstract

This paper argues that, with respect to the black manager in a white world, our theories, methodologies and research programmes have tended to concentrate on behaviour and frequency at the expense of experience and meaning, with the result that we may have failed to isolate some of the reasons for the underperformance of some black managers within white organizations. Investigation of both behaviour and experience suggests that underperformance may be associated as much with the marginal position of the black manager as with culture, education and discrimination. Therefore - apart from solutions to the problems associated with blatant or obtrusive cultural differences (such as language), apart from the problems associated with an educational system grossly inferior to that of Whites and apart from solutions to problems associated with discrimination - solutions must also be found to the problems associated with the peculiar situation in which the black manager finds himself. In other words, an attempt must be made to reduce the inconsistencies, ambiguities and conflicts with which black managers are faced. Some potential solutions to the problems confronted by black managers are suggested.
In die artikel word aangevoer dat, wat die swart bestuurder in 'n wit wereld betref, ons teoriee, metodologiee en navorsingsprogramme geneig was om te konsentreer op gedrag en frekwensie ten koste van ervaring en betekenis. Die benadering mag veroorsaak het dat ons sommige van die redes vir die onderprestasie van sommige swart bestuurders binne blanke organisasies, nie behoorlik geisoleer het nie. Ondersoek van sowel gedrag as ervaring dui aan dat onderprestasie in net so 'n groot mate met die marginale posisie van die swart bestuurder mag verband hou, as met kultuur, opleiding en diskriminasie. Dus - naas oplossings vir die probleme wat verband hou met blatante of opvallende kultuurverskille (soos taal), naas probleme met 'n onderwysstelsel wat merkbaar minderwaardig is teenoor die van Blankes en naas oplossings vir probleme wat met diskriminasie verband hou - moet oplossings ook gevind word vir die probleme wat te doen het met die besondere situasie waarin die swart bestuurder hom bevind. Met ander woorde, 'n poging moet aangewend word om die teenstrydighede, dubbelsinnighede en konflikte waarteenoor die swart bestuurder te staan kom, te verminder. Sommige potensiele oplossings vir die probleme wat swart bestuurders moet konfronteer, word voorgestel.