Collectively business is stronger and louder
Apartheid has cast a long shadow, but an organised, unified voice is in the national economic interest
Albrecht’s Law, widely quoted in management literature, harshly states that "intelligent people, when assembled into an organisation, will tend towards collective stupidity". Observing the latest fallout after many years between Business Unity SA (Busa) and the Black Business Council (BBC) over participation in the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) suggests peak organisations representing business in SA are in danger of becoming a dramatic illustration of Albrecht’s Law. The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) has been hit by a spate of resignations related to claims of poor governance. Serious institutional, political, capacity and operational challenges emerge from a review of the fragmented organised business landscape. Can Humpty Dumpty be put back together again? Or have politics created an irretrievable situation? As Karl Albrecht, an executive management consultant, observed, collective incapacity is not a necessary or inevitable par...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.