Representing Reality: Discourse, Rhetoric and Social Construction

Although Africa's return to growth in the 2000s, coterminous with significantly increasing foreign direct investment, has led to renewed interest in Human Resource Management (HRM) on the continent, much of the literature has tended to focus on cross-culturally imposed variations in HRM and employment practices and the impact of foreign investment from the developed world. Policy and strategy in managing human resources, most notably those from emerging market multinational enterprises (MNEs), has been neglected. Opening this special issue, this article highlights present trends and debates, and reviews more recent contributions to knowledge of this area. Our analysis critically evaluates the use of new categories of expatriate workers including semi-skilled and relatively unskilled home country expatriates deployed in emerging market MNEs in African countries, the uneven nature of regulation, structural changes in African economies, and the consequences of national institutional restraints for multinational HRM. We identify an agenda for further research.

Multinational firms from emerging economies in Africa: implications for research and practice in human resource management

Orientation:  High turnover of information technology (IT) personnel is a major problem facing many global and local organisations. An increasingly important area of turnover research of IT personnel experiencing role stress involves examining their perceptions of supervisor support. Research purpose:  This study aimed to examine the effects of role-related stress and supervisor support on job satisfaction, job performance and IT turnover intentions. Motivations for the study:  It is important to assess from both a theoretical and a practical perspective the extent to which turnover can be explained by relational factors such as supervisor support. Research design, approach and method:  An online voluntary survey yielded a sample of 163 respondents. Six constructs were measured: turnover intention, job performance, job satisfaction, supervisor support, role ambiguity and role conflict. A total of 158 usable responses were subjected to descriptive, correlation and regression analysis. Mediation and moderation effects were assessed using a multiple regression bootstrapping procedure. Main findings:  Role ambiguity has a greater impact on job satisfaction than role conflict. Job satisfaction fully mediated the relationship between role stress and turnover intention. Supervisor support mediated the relationship between role stressors and job satisfaction and role stressors and job performance. There was no evidence in favour of a moderating role of supervisor support. Practical and managerial implications:  Higher priority should be given to tackling role ambiguity. Supervisor support can increase job satisfaction, improve job performance and ultimately reduce turnover intentions, despite the presence of role stress. Contribution or value-add:  Human resource managers and IT managers could use these results to improve job performance and staff retention.

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Role stress and turnover intentions among information technology personnel in South Africa: The role of supervisor support

Orientation: The recruitment, selection and development of suitable candidates are crucial strategic functions to ensure the competitiveness of corporate and public sector organisations. Research purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine whether targeted organisations have a clear recruitment and selection policy by means of a preliminary exploratory study. In addition to this, the objective was the need to establish the various techniques or methods in use to recruit and select candidates for vacant posts. Motivation for the study: To develop a better understanding of the trends in the application of recruitment and selection methods within the Eastern Cape. Research design, approach and method: This study has a non-experimental design. Methodological processes followed a qualitative and quantitative mixed approach. Structured interviews were used to collect data followed by a descriptive statistical analysis, summary and interpretation of results. Main findings: Whereas newspaper advertising and recruitment agencies are the most popular recruitment methods, the application blank and interviews were mostly preferred for selection purposes. Although assessment centres and psychological assessments were also regarded as popular selection methods, assessment centres were; however, the most prominent selection method to follow of the above two mentioned selection methods. Practical/managerial implications: The research findings could provide corporate leaders and their human resource functionaries with a theoretical pointer relative to recruitment and selection trends within the Province which could guide more effective skills attraction and selection decisions. Contribution/value-add: The study provided valuable strategic information to improve on organisational competiveness via effective recruitment and selection processes. In addition, training and educational programmes could eventually fill the needs and gaps identified in organisational functioning and professional service delivery.

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Exploring recruitment and selection trends in the Eastern Cape

The purpose of this case study was to understand the gendered experiences women students report while participating in a university entrepreneurship program. This qualitative study sought to shed l...

What's Gender Got to Do with It? The Experiences of U.S. Women Entrepreneurship Students

Orientation: The study focuses on understanding labour turnover trends amongst African Black senior managers in South Africa. There is a perception that turnover amongst African Black senior managers is higher than average. There is also a perception that African Black senior managers are only motivated by financial rewards when considering job change. Research purpose: The study focused on understanding why African Black senior managers have a propensity to change jobs and how organisations can resolve the trend. Motivation for the study: To develop a better understanding of the push and pull factors for African Black senior managers in organisations. Research design, approach and method: The research was conducted in two phases, namely as part of a qualitative study and a quantitative study: Creswell (2003) refers to this approach as triangulation. The target population was African Black senior managers on the database of a large Human Resources Consultancy, The South African Rewards Association and the Association of Black Actuaries and Investment Professionals (ABSIP) ( n = 2600). A total of 208 usable responses were received. Main findings: The main findings and contribution to the field of study was that African Black senior managers do not trust organisations with their career development. They would rather take control of their own career development by moving from organisation to organisation to build their repertoire of skills and competence. They want to be in charge of their careers. This finding has profound implications for organisations employing African Black managers in the senior cadre. Practical/managerial implications: Managers of African Black senior managers need to create attractive employee value propositions that address the main findings. Contribution/value-add: The research shows that African Black senior managers generally seek corporate environments that encourage a sense of belonging and with a clear career growth plan.

https://sajhrm.co.za/index.php/sajhrm/article/download/360/393

Khanyile C.C. Nzukuma

Papers

Job-hopping amongst African Black senior management in South Africa

Mobility of top black talent (part one) : asset-based HR - hot button