Strategy of Subversive Rationalization for Development – More Science and Less Faith?

Here’s an extract from a rather lengthy but highly intellectual and engaging article on how to apply the afore-mentioned strategy for uniquely and uncontaminatedly modernizing Nigeria and Africa.

PS: You may need a dictionary to fully grasp the message of this short extract as the author utilized his full arsenal of words and expressions.

The strategy (of subversive rationalization) emphasizes the internalization of the scientific method and rational modes of thinking as well as the assimilation of key scientific knowledge, as the epistemological foundation of any kind of modernity. It also stresses the necessity of renovating conformist, traditionalist or totalizing belief and knowledge systems, worldviews and cultures, that stand in the way to essential changes on the road to modernity - a mega-project of autonomization, individuation, rationalization, demystification and feminization processes (less patriarchal forms). Modernity is also a project of democratization, liberalization, secularization, trans-nationalization, systematization, technocratization and humanization processes.

The strategy relies on scientific knowledge, which offers only incomplete and patchy theories of the real but nonetheless possibly the best models of reality, for reordering and reconstructing the African reality and for engaging it with up to date, robust and economically efficient technical know-how. More generally, it relies on calculative thinking and on the scientific tradition as the most viable civilizational horizon of a budding region, whose tortuous and uncertain transition to modernity may necessitate an imaginative strand of thinking.........................

In summary the strategy of Subversive Rationalization uses the power of scientific thought to launch a counter hegemonic offensive in order to subvert disabling traditional and repressive knowledge-power orders that stand in the way to a new realism, or to the rejuvenation and reconstruction of the African reality. The strategy may be valuable for bringing about a post-totemic, post-enchanted, post-Abrahamic, post-phallocratic, post-colonial and post-fragmented regional space and in moving Africa forward into a distinctive, creative, secular, democratic and authentic form of modernity.

You would concur that there are resounding, though unconventional truths in this discourse and the author certainly displayed advanced knowledge of theoretical development strategies for our continent. However, as much as I agree with the author that we need to apply proven methods and standard processes in accordance with logical procedures and empirical rationalizations, we would be critically mistaken to assume that total dependence on experiential and scientific knowledge would be effective as a panacea for our present challenges.

There is more than meets the eye to every occurrence and this is not superstition. How do we explain several instances of people (and societies) who seemingly ought to have completely lost hope based on prevailing circumstances, but still eventually came out victorious and later experienced such prosperity and peace that none could have predicted. If we were to solely depend on scientific methods to predict eventual outcomes, we would have been wrong on many occasions throughout human existence.

My view is that we ought to keep hope alive, have strong faith and display such defying confidence (not arrogance) that no matter how bad a situation might have been, there is still that possibility of experiencing victory and emancipation.

This realm is certainly above science and methods. Science, technology, formal methods and proven strategies are critical, but abstract ‘resources’ such as faith, confidence, tenacity, ethical traditions and constructive beliefs could prove even more decisive in making Nigeria and Africa uniquely and uncontaminatedly modern.

AFRICA Vs The Rest of the World

Friday March 7, 2008 19:30hrs, I watched a CNN Inside-Africa report that insensitively painted Nigeria as a difficult and corrupt environment, where people are forced to engage in criminal and immoral activities in order to survive. This report also implied that churches were simply in the business of exploiting people, not being concerned about their members’ general well being. The subject of the report was one 'Joy', who left the shores of Nigeria in search of greener pastures in Europe (after withstanding abuse by her guardian), was forced to trade her body for cash and eventually got deported from Denmark back to Nigeria. She was reported to have been given 100 euros ‘pocket money’ with which she had to bribe security and airport agents in Nigeria in order to escape incarceration.

However, this report did convey a grossly inaccurate message about Nigeria. I must mention that there are obvious challenges in Nigeria (and everywhere else on planet earth), but highlighting our's as being so intense that you have to resort to vices in order to keep body and soul together is indeed misleading and unjustifiable. The western media have enormous power and coverage, and have proven to be creative in prompt news delivery, but they also seem to have a reputation for subtly programming the minds of the global audience to adopt western ideologies and points of view.

Time and again, Africa has been labelled and perceived as a continent of suffering. Backwardness and underdevelopment are often associated with us. Those familiar with western media (i.e. CNN, BBC, TIME, The Economist…e.t.c) frequently come across reports on conflicts and mismanagement and each time we come across such, we begin to wonder whether it’s the same continent we live in that’s being reported.
It would be naïve to deny that Africa indeed has numerous challenges especially with regards to leadership, management, infrastructural development, education and health care. But the question is: “Is that all there is to our great continent?”

Human Capital: Africa has played a very crucial role in human development spanning generations. I need not bore you with history, but we know about the origins of Civilization. Egypt and Mesopotamia were major catalysts of human development over the ages.
Today, Africans at home and in diaspora have recorded numerous groundbreaking achievements in virtually ALL fields imaginable. Even head-hunters for global corporations are beaming their searchlight on Africans to fill strategic roles in these corporations. The two Nigerian women at the World Bank is testament to this fact.

Physical Resources: If I started enumerating our physical resources, It would take quite a while to exhaust the list. Fact is Africa is BY FAR the most talented continent in the world in terms of physical resources. From crude-oil to natural gas reserves, tin, columbite, uranium, gold, diamond, nickel, bitumen and the rare elements…e.t.c, Africa is gifted enough to be ENTIRELY self sufficient. We have the potential to build a regional self sustaining economy, though the journey to realisation of this requires focussed and tenacious leadership, strategic planning and execution of the highest order.

Markets and Population: On the average, we are densely populated and still growing at a fast rate. The markets are there and still rapidly expanding whilst new market segments have started to develop. That’s why we are called emerging markets (maybe not yet at the pace of the BRICs, but using your mind’s eye, this development is unmistakable).
A virtually previously non-existent middle class has emerged in many African Nations and is just budding. In a few years, there would be unprecedented regional and continent-wide demand for (high quality) products and services.

Perception: Perception has proved a major stumbling block to our development. We all frequently hear about the pre and post visit experiences of non-Africans that have visited our continent.
Frequently, these people have confessed to holding warped and inaccurate views of what obtains in our land pre-visit. Their decision to embark on such trips has been analogous to engaging in some form of risk, and many times adjudged as being uncalculated and unnecessary by their peers in their home countries. However, the more adventurous and truth seeking ones that managed to board those intercontinental flights have often not regretted.
Many of them have confessed that Africa is indeed a blessed and incredibly beautiful continent with such diversity you can hardly find anywhere else. The heritage and culture is original and simply incomparable.

Only Africans can redeem Africa’s image. Africa’s re-branding is certainly every African’s responsibility. When we get to the point where we all appreciate and perpetrate our heritage (of course we have to foreclose or put an end to negative traditions) irrespective of where we find ourselves, our misrepresentation would certainly become a thing of the past.
It’s about time we respond with a strategic media weapon that would propagate African objectives internationally in similar vein as the middle-east's response to western media manipulations with their famous Aljazeera Network.

Neo-colonization
The concept of neo-colonization is indeed true and should spark concern. FDIs (Foreign Direct Investments) have increased significantly and more foreign monies continue to pour into African economies. What is suspect is the fact that a larger part of the investments have been targeted at securing and sustaining medium to long term hold over our natural resources.
Energy and metals are key drivers of industrialization. The unprecedented growth rates of economies such as China’s and India’s and the increasing needs of the U.S and Europe have forced these nations to find new sources of energy and critical elements, if they intend sustaining their growth rates.

Focussing on Energy, nation states outside of Africa are increasingly nationalising their resources making it increasingly difficult for larger economies to guarantee future supplies. Increasing global economic development indices has also meant increased demand for limited resources, forcing the big consumers to go about scouting for newer and more stable sources.
China for example has recently flooded Africa with cash (obviously from those massive trillion dollar foreign reserves) in exchange for unrestricted access to significant chunks of her resources.

Companies such as Lonrho which were in the process of divesting from the continent have resurfaced with greater passion, perhaps after recognising the strategic role Africa’s resources would play in the emerging global economy. Indeed, there is a new rush for Africa, but this time around, it’s not for kunta-kinte (human slaves), at least not in that sense. It definitely is for her mineral resources.

But we indeed have a joker in our hands, and it’s up to us to decide how we’ll play. We could choose to collect cash in exchange for our resources, consume it, and continue to maintain our commodity-economy status whilst re-building debt. We could also decide to forge strategic partnerships that would harness these resources for global consumption whilst empowering our people, developing our markets and diversifying our economies.

A quick peep into what’s going on in the middle-east would provide valuable lessons for African nations. UAE, Qatar and Saudi-Arabia are appropriating their massive oil and gas wealth for development and diversification of their economies. They are setting up world class institutions and importing brains from all over to build local talent. They are building service oriented economies that would ensure a smooth transition from commodity based to service-oriented economies when the oil finally runs out (and that’s still up to a hundred years away, assuming no additional reserves are discovered).

And this next point is simply unbelievable - They are also investing in clean and renewable energy technologies that would complement and reduce dependence on global warming culprit, oil.
Masdar city is a multi billion dollar project in the UAE that aims to build a city that is entirely dependent upon solar energy using CSP (Concentrated Solar Power) technology in the desert.

There has been high clamour and clatter about reducing dependence on oil, but fact is there wouldn’t be a replacement any time soon. Africa indeed has been presented with a unique opportunity to leverage on her resources in order to achieve her long sought objectives of eliminating poverty, achieving prosperity and attaining development. We can either choose life (by doing the simple right things) or trudge along the old path. I believe we’ve learnt from history and would do the simple right things. Let's all do our part guys!

Hallo Friends. Welcome to the Strategic Year of 2008

Hello friends. I believe it’s been a great start into the New Year for you, and believe me, 2008 would be the best year yet (say Amen now!) Well, I want to apologise for failing to update my blog page regularly. Some have visited my site http://www.adetayo.blogspot.com/ a number of times expecting to see something new (but were disappointed), but be rest assured, there’s going to be something new at least every other week this new year. (I should let you know that I changed my job about three times last year, and was involved in quite a lot of relatively disconnected activities but this year has been declared one of greater glory (by my pastor, Rev Yinka Ojo – obviously echoing God’s mind) and experiencing this Chabod and Shekinah requires focus and consistency.

Alright, let’s shoot! I will use the first quarter of 2008 to share my thoughts on Strategy, Leadership, Values, Cause, competitive advantage and ‘spirituals’(other themes would also feature from time to time). These are highly critical and brain tasking mysteries that several leading authors and consultants of repute are still trying to unravel. (I guess you are then wondering…..’so what makes you think you’ve got what it takes to talk about, or perhaps provide insight into this high-octane arena that has kept Harvard Professors, thought leaders on strategy and CA, executives of PwC, Mckinsey, Boston Consulting group…..e.t.c working over time?’)

Well, let’s just say my mind, head and most-importantly Heart (or ‘Spirit man’ for those of us that understand the language of ‘Spirituals’) have been doing significant work along these lines, and I believe the little that I have to say would add value, and help at least a few people make better decisions that will impact their communities, constituencies and stakeholders positively. Hope you get the point!?

I was perusing the initial issue of Harvard Business Review in 2008 (and guess what? The cover page and most of the content echoed strategy and leadership!) Before I had even read through the magazine, the very first sentence in Prof. Michael Porter’s revised “Five Competitive forces that shape strategy’ (or something like that) was rendered invalid and/or inaccurate by Dr. Oren Harari on his aw-inspiring blog at http://www.harari.com/blog/. This probably provides you with some degree of insight into the intense warring amongst diverse schools of thought on these hotly contested themes.

Alright then, too much talk and too little action isn’t my style, so I’ve got to halt and get to the crux of the matter. Wish you the best as you learn a few things from my posts in 2008.

Disruptive Forces: Technology (the internet) and People

The disruptive technology is simply what I call the world’s internet. A few years back, the internet was basically viewed as just another tool for business, communication and entertainment. Most organizations probably just put up a website that displayed minimal corporate information. The internet was perceived to hold so much potential but most did not attach extraordinary importance to maximising its potential at that time.

Today, the internet has truly become the world’s internet. The 21st century is right here and the world has become a totally different place. Globalization (amongst other forces) has now distinguished the internet as the unrivalled platform for conducting any sort of business activity ranging from those of SMEs to multinationals.
The virtual world is fast adopting all the characteristics of the traditional real world and in a few decades, what is referred to as the virtual world at present may hold more significance than the traditional real world. The Matrix after all may prove to be more than just an imaginary concept and a figment of the wachowski brothers’ imagination.

Second Life is a rapidly expanding virtual community that provides an online society within a 3D world, where users can explore, build, socialize and participate in their own economy. A downloadable client program called the Second Life Viewer enables its users, called "Residents", to interact with each other through motional avatars, providing an advanced level of a social network service. Residents can explore, meet other Residents, socialize, participate in individual and group activities, create and trade items (virtual property) and services from one another. Second Life's virtual currency is the Linden Dollar (Linden, or L$) and is exchangeable for US Dollars in a marketplace consisting of residents, Linden Lab and real life companies.

For businesses of whatever size, technology has become an absolutely indispensable tool. In-fact, a comprehensive IT strategy that makes adequate provisions for enterprise-wide knowledge management, performance improvement, process abstractions amongst others is imperative for corporations today and is viewed as a pre-requisite for survival in today’s acutely competitive global business environment. Peter Cohan (one of the world’s top technology strategists) said ‘the few firms that persist and ultimately achieve integrated transactions are more likely to enjoy a sustainable advantage over those that give up’.

Facebook, Google, Yahoo, MySpace and Microsoft are living examples of multi-million, perhaps billion dollar companies whose focus has been on people and Technology. The Foreign Exchange Market is another example of an industry that has so expanded as a result of these twin concepts. Current global daily transactions are upwards of $4 trillion daily!…providing market liquidity and accessibility levels never before experienced. Companies like Currenex have made this possible by connecting over 70 global banks to their state-of-the-art currency exchange engine. This has made Currency speculation a business the average citizen can engage in (though Peter Bain, a foremost trading tutor warns that forex-trading isn’t for the faint at heart but involves serious study, commitment, perseverance and development of a personal trading strategy).

Technology by itself is incapable of repositioning most organizations for high profitability. We live in times of knowledge proliferation and corporations are increasingly recognising the indispensability of the human resource. Warren Bennis remarked in Business Minds that “intellectual capital has supplanted capital as the critical success factor”.
The wealth of today’s organization is resident in its people. The expectations from today’s leaders are therefore totally different from what they used to be.

For those that want to remain relevant, and perhaps maintain relevance, recognition of and exploitation of these core duo resources (i'm not talking about intel processors here) remain central. People and Technology constitute the initial steps to achieving sustainable success, and realizing market dominance in the case of businesses.

It's no more an option for businesses, institutions, governments or individuals. You've got to embrace People and Technology now!