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Journal of the Department of Management and Project Management in the Faculty of Business.

Preface to the first edition

Back then when animals spoke before the curse of dumbness overtook their joy, an elephant and a rabbit walked side by side as friends to a flooded stream. They came to a crossing point where some generous fellow being had laid a plank across the flowing stream. The two friends walked onto the bridge one after another as equals, two metres onto the bridge the plank started cracking. The elephant quickly reversed back and apologized to the rabbit friend because he was overweight and this nearly caused a calamity for both of them. The rabbit was visibly angry at the elephant’s ‘despise’ of the rabbit’s weight. “No matter how small my weight may be, it contributed, why despise me like that?” The idea was not who contributed what, the idea was each one of them contributed their portion, as the saying goes; “the sum total is greater than its parts.” It is therefore very much in order for me to acknowledge all the contributions without listing names, lest I despise the rabbit. Contributions came in different forms; encouragements, discouragements, negatives, positives, supplies and even the absence thereof became the learning curve as we labored to realize this “dream.” As the Cape Peninsula University of Technology turns 10 years since inception, we celebrate this by the introduction of JOLMS [Journal of Leadership and Management Studies] as our small contribution towards greatness. This journal was conceptualized and brought to reality through the tireless efforts of a determined workforce in the department. Devoid of previous research and publishing experience the team has moved from ignorance to wisdom, the team is now ready to capture the continent. Only the dead do not dream, the vibrant team in the department is willing to help realize the strategic imperative of taking the university to “greatness.” It is equally appropriate to admit that “success is 90% effort and 10% genius,” the matchless effort shown by the few staff members in the department is immeasurable. This “first issue” is therefore a milestone that can only encourage and fuel the zeal to reach greater heights, which is indeed the purpose for leadership. Something is wrong in this continent that has lagged behind in many respects in spite of it having 60% of the world’s natural resources. Devoid of leadership the continent continues to house the poorest populations of the world, a rich continent inhabited by the poorest people on earth. This journal aspires to draw from all disciplines the lessons of effective leadership and management to prepare a generation poised to take the continent forward. The meeting of minds on such pertinent issues as ‘looking for effective leadership’ in all spheres of life, can only be understood in the context of “two heads are better than one.” In as much as “too many cooks spoil the broth,” it is evident that the panacea for Africa’s condition [Africa is hospitalized and is in the intensive care unit -ICU] demands the contribution of the followership to enhance the effectiveness of the leadership. Unless there is congruency and meeting of the expectations of both, Africa is going one way into the ICU. If all these minds come together to create synergy, it can be said again that; “the sum total is greater than its parts.” Divided we fall, and united we win. Only the foolish despise knowledge, the wise search for it in the corners where it lies dormant. This journal seeks to scrap the unused wisdom from all the dustbins of oblivion, and resuscitate it into usable substance. This will be training ground for the beginner in research and writing, and harvesting ground for the professional who knows all the corners. The journal will bring together the new brooms that sweep clean and the old brooms that know all the corners. We only can be who we are because of the others around us; “motho kemotho kabathu.”

Editor in Chief

Dr Jowah, LE