Bantu vital-force ontology can be formalized as a holism-versus-dualism dimension in management theory

Evidence

Because of the impact of the religious factor on intercultural cooperation, this paper advocates defining the position of religious orientations in intercultural management sciences more clearly. There is ample cause for adding a dimension to the Hofstede model, namely the fluid dimension of holism and dualism. The merit of this holism and dualism dimension in intercultural management sciences is that it clarifies the positions of religion and management. The dimension posits the religionist perspective that all organizations and colleagues share vital force. Equally, it values dualistic approaches to religion and management from the secular and empiricist points of view. A holistic paradigm rises above a dichotomy, such as religion and management, which belong to a dualistic point of view. To justify the perspectives of both religionists and empiricists, holism factors in and integrates culture and religion, spirit and matter, organization and religion, religion and management, whereas they are separated in dualism. — Frans Dokman, Beyond Bantu Philosophy_…, 849

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines ‘holism’ (integration of religion and management via shared vital force) against ‘dualism’ (secular separation) as a proposed management-science dimension.
• XREF: The proposed holism-dualism dimension adapts Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, and the vital-force concept echoes Tempels’ Bantu philosophy treated across this book.