Lutz, David W.2019-09-252019-09-252009-12-162009-10-10http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12424/173808In our age of globalization, we need a theory of global management consistent with our common human nature. The place to begin in developing such a theory is the philosophy of traditional cultures. The article focuses on African philosophy and its fruitfulness for contributing to a theory of management consistent with African traditional cultures. It also looks briefly at the Confucian and Platonic-Aristotelian traditions and notes points of agreement with African traditions. It concludes that the needed theory of global management should regard the firm as a community, not a collection of individuals, and should understand the purpose of management as promoting the common good.engCreative Commons Copyright (CC 2.5)managementPhilosophyAfrican Traditional ReligionsAristotelian ethicsConfucian ethicsConfucianismglobalizationcommunitycommon goodmoral communityEconomic ethicsBusiness ethicsLabour/professional ethicsPreprint