Afro-communitarian Ethics: Implications for Small-Business Stakeholder Relationships

In recent times there have been increasing efforts at reinterpreting core CSR theories such as stakeholder theory with new perspectives as well as applying them to different contexts away from its Western masculinist connotations. This work seeks to add to these efforts by exploring, the impacts that the African philosophical worldview of Afro-communitarianism has on small business stakeholder relationships. Specifically it discusses the kinds of relationships that owner/managers of small businesses maintain with their families, employees and competitors- all key stakeholders. The contention is that Afro-communitarian ethics demands more extensive ethical responsibilities from owner/managers of small businesses than owner/managers motivated by most Western ethics. It is hoped that this will add significant perspectives to stakeholder theory as well as having implications for both small and large businesses.