Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS): Application and their impact on industrial activities of companies in Africa

Abstract

Before post-modern industrial systems African states had different methods, ways, approaches and systems of doing things for survival and sustainability. Knowledge systems could be maintained, improved, implemented and passed on from generation to generation through oral tradition data banks, written records and archeological packages. Skills and expertise though they appeared individualistic they were used to benefit many people for example the “cow horn formation†was developed from the existing knowledge systems of that time. In pre-historic eras people could practice business principles like warehousing, marketing, accounting, human resources management, operations management, economics and purchasing and supply to mention just a few; that was through knowledge systems of the moment. In this paper forms of knowledge forms which contributed to the existence of the then people are going to be unraveled. In this rendition suggestions on how knowledge systems can be capitalized towards the development of sustainable future would be raised. There are a lot of developments which were generated from the indigenous knowledge systems for example the issue of education in Africa has a direct relationship to the folklores of the traditional societies. African societies are losing popularity because they lack contributions in terms of technological developments, product developments and innovations. So capitalizing on their (IKS) would come as a springboard towards development of Africa