Africa's Ubuntu Philosophy and Kurt Lewin's Field Theory - Foundations of OD.

This article looks at the comparison of the African concept of Ubuntu and Kurt Lewin's practical social science. Ubuntu philosophy is a cornerstone concept for Africa, which is also emerging as the foundational concept of African Organization Development (African OD) theory and practice. Kurt Lewin's philosophy of social science has been, and is, a cornerstone concept and foundation from the beginning of OD (Schein, 2010). These two foundations, we believe, are as one. This, in itself, allows for, and brings credibility and credence to African OD. We postulate that Ubuntu philosophy and Kurt Lewin's social science perspectives facilitate the manifestation of the human spirit, humanistic principles and values as the guiding light in the theory and practice of OD. From this, we conclude that Ubuntu and Lewin's Field Theory are the same, indivisible in concept, and in 'being' as complementary and mirrored compositions. The advancement of African OD is premised on these cornerstone concepts and theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]