PERSPECTIVE
5.5 EVOLVING PERCEPTIONS OF STRATEGY CONCEPTS
5.5.2 Environment
unfair. Conservation legislation and related regulations were bitterly resented as they were seen as authoritarian, threatening and restrictive (Kemf 1993).
With a commitment to conservation as demonstrated in the interpretation of the mission, a strong conservationist perspective existed from the onset in the NPB. Vincent, with his preoccupation for establishment and then expansion and consolidation, saw the environment as being highly inimical to the interests of conservation. Because it was thought that such a stance was justified and was followed over time, it became interpreted as an objective reality. Such an interpretation of the environment, however, formed the basis of what was to become an inherent process of stereotyping the general public of KwaZulu-Natal.
Stereotypes involve the highly simplified impressions and perceptions of 'outer groups', often in a disapproving and even derogatory manner and tend to worsen the differences between the presumed 'out group' and 'in group'. In this case, stereotyping of the general public among NPB employees, motivated and promoted by Vincent's leadership as the 'official interpreter of the environment', was enhanced consequent upon a growth in opposition. As a result of this stereotyping, there was a feeling that the general public knew little or nothing about conservation and that they were generally undisciplined when it came to conservation matters.
In retrospect I suppose that the inculcation of discipline among staff and general public seemed the most unpleasant part of the early work, but at the same time, it must be said that the needed metamorphosis took a great deal less time than had been expected. As soon as some of the staff 'deadwood' had been pruned by sackings and resignations, and some successful prosecutions effected by certain better rangers, it must have been clear that it was the Board's firm intention to stand no nonsense and to implement sound conservation measures throughout the Province of Natal (Vincent 1989: 193).
Stereotyping contributed to a lack of inclusive and meaningful participation by the general public. Therefore, stereotypes distorted, inhibited and eliminated prospects for engaging the general public. Not engaging or communicating with the public meant that there was no meaningful participation by the general public in conservation processes.
Thus, opportunities for understanding the different interests and expectations of the general public were consequently lost.
When calls for participation started to emerge, initially under Geddes-Page and at a heightened pace under Hughes, the organization's 'social memory' and stereotyped interpretations of the general public distorted social interaction and communication between the general public (especially local communities) and the conservation employees. Absence of relevant skills and knowledge (Hughes 2001), as shall be shown later, did not help the situation either. Participatory approaches to conservation as we understand them today simply had no place in such a system. The approach was essentially that which favoured conservation values above all else. One official observed:
... you have to understand the history of conservation in South Africa in general and the additional influence of apartheid for that matter. Staff have for long considered conservation as a 'calling' - much more than a job. They tend to be moralistic and even emotional about the perceived importance of conservation. This sense of self-importance has historically prevented us from engaging and communicating with the general public. There was an entrenched belief that the public does not understand the importance of protecting wildlife, and institutionally, this misperception was historically reified by most of our actions and even what we chose to ignore. Admittedly, this is a historical weakness of considerable concern which will only be undone over time .
The opposition to conservation was also compounded by apartheid in the case of black communities and the taking over of traditional lands in some cases (Kemf 1993) complicated the matter even more. Such stereotypes as the ones that were exhibited in the case of the NPB are difficult to resolve especially when the differences are embedded in different worldviews. A consequence of this was enduring tensions embedded in misunderstanding and lack of trust between the NPB and the general public. In terms of the NPB's responsiveness, this situation presented a huge challenge. While the stereotypes of the general public persisted, a need for responsiveness and change arose, but the basic assumptions endured. Schein helps to clarify this point.
Cultural assumptions are the product of past success. As a result, they are increasingly taken for granted and operate as silent filters on what is perceived and thought. If the organization's environment changes and new responses are required the danger is that the changes will not be noticed, or even if noticed, that the organization will not be able to adapt because of embedded routines based on past success. Culture constrains strategy by limiting what the CEO and other senior managers can think about and what they perceive in the first place (Schein 1992:382).
In this study, therefore, we see that the initial interpretation of the environment by Vincent, which was perhaps appropriate at one stage in the organization's history, was
Personal interview with Cedrick Coetzee, Regional Manager of the Coastal region, EKZNW.
later to affect the organization's chances of success and ability to adapt. Curbing opposition may have been appropriate at one stage, but it was not necessarily going to be correct for all time. For example, artefacts such as, uniforms, firearms and the social distance that conservation staff kept from communities that initially supported the fight against this opposition were later to stand in the way of seeking to form alliances with communities. The fact that the mission expanded to incorporate tourism and recreation as well as community participation (and general openness to other stakeholders) meant that while these artefacts still had a role in the enforcement function, their usage and visibility needed careful consideration when it came to the implementation of the recreation and tourism programmes.