From fragmentation to fragile unity: Organizational fault-lines in South African business

This article explores the nature and history of organized business in South Africa. It describes the major racial, sectoral and other fault-lines which fracture the business community, and indicates that many of these are the legacy of apartheid. It points out that the relationship between business...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Nicoli Nattrass
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 1998-03-01
Series:South African Journal of Business Management
Online Access:https://sajbm.org/index.php/sajbm/article/view/767
Description
Summary:This article explores the nature and history of organized business in South Africa. It describes the major racial, sectoral and other fault-lines which fracture the business community, and indicates that many of these are the legacy of apartheid. It points out that the relationship between business and the state was ambiguous, varied between the economic sectors, and changed radically over time. The latter sections of the article discuss the role of business in South Africa's transition (and the collective action problems which were experienced), and charts the developments which lead up to the creation of the mega federation Business South Africa (BSA). It is argued that BSA represents an important, yet fragile, step towards unity.
ISSN:2078-5585
2078-5976