Hrm in South Africa

International Human Resource Management Your assignment is to take a country of your choice and consider how the human resource management function has been shaped by the internal and external contexts. Conclude your assignment with some suggestions as to what the future might hold for the field of HRM in your chosen country. The idea behind the module is for you to explore the meaning and implications of the concepts and ideas of international and comparative human resource management. There is no one way of defining and understanding the nature and purpose of HRM.

HRM varies according to the cultural and institutional environment in which it is conducted. It is suggested that you choose a country with which you are familiar, perhaps your home country, as this may enable you to provide examples to support your analysis. However, the important point is to choose a country that may be readily researched by access to texts and other available information. Assessment criteria: These are referred to in your Handbook. However, as a guide you need to show understanding of the various concepts and ideas discussed in the sessions, including knowledge of the perspectives to the employment relationship.

This will include the extent to which culture impacts upon the relationship; how political, economic and social contexts influence the relationships; indicate some understanding of differing approaches to management development and have some understanding of the importance of employee relations. Brief outline of the essential criteria: Distinction – an assignment demonstrating wide coverage and understanding of the subject, including a strong critical analysis and evaluation. Commendation – an assignment demonstrating wide coverage and understanding of the subject, with some critical analysis and evaluation.

Pass – an assignment demonstrating wide coverage and understanding of the subject, but mainly description rather than critical analysis and evaluation. Structure Choose a country that has been researched in the past… i. e. a place where HRM practices are commented on and discussed. Consider and comment on internal and external context that have influenced HRM factors CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF EXISTING RESEARCH Conclude with recommendations, as well as suggestions as to what the future may hold for HRM in the country of choice. An analysis of current HRM practices in the Republic of South Africa Introduction

This study will investigate and explore two to three aspects of HRM practises within the Republic of South Africa. In order to gain an insight into how the country functions, it will be important to understand the various internal and external factors that may have influenced current HRM practices. South Africa is a multicultural country with a rapidly growing economy, and is widely seen as one of the most stable democracies in Africa, having recently emerged from the infamous apartheid era. The South African economy is the largest in the continent, and the 28th largest in the world.

The country lobbied heavily, and was eventually invited to join the economic and political organisation BRICS in 2011 (Smith 2011), and has just successfully hosted the annual BRICS conference (2013) for the first time. Concerns have however been expressed over whether South Africa deserves its place among the BRICS, as the country has the lowest levels of government spending, life expectancy, and literacy rates within the group, while the South African GDP comprises just 2. 5% of that of the combined BRICS’s GDP (Smith, 2013).

In addition, while the populations of India and China stand at over a billion people, South Africa has a population of 50 million of which almost a quarter are unemployed and live on less than ? 1 a day (Seria & Cohen, 2009). This high poverty level is a major contributor to the crime rates in South Africa, with Johannesburg being infamous for its high levels of crime (Diseko, 2010). The most concerning crime considered to be the extent of rape and violence against women in South Africa. With two rapes occurring every minute (Itano, 2003), a typical South African woman is estimated to have a 40% chance of being raped (Middleton, 2011).

Domestic violence is also reportedly high, with statistics suggesting that one woman is killed by her husband/partner every eight hours in South Africa (Faul 2013). The practice of ‘corrective rape’ is a major problem, which is based on the incorrect belief that the rape of lesbians can ‘cure’ them of homosexuality (Mufweba, 2003). The South African government is well aware of all these problems, and has made a number of attempts to tackle them head on, including the amendment and strengthening of laws that deal with sexual offences.

The government notes that the problem “is reflective of deep-seated, systemic dysfunction in our society” (Government Gazette South Africa, 2007). Diseko (2010) argues that the high crime levels have had a massive impact upon the South African economy, with recent research showing that the country has been experiencing a brain drain (Kok, 2006). Moolman (2012) highlights cases of high numbers of skilled engineers and other professionals emigrating to MDRs (More Developed Regions) such as Australia and North America.

Dreyer, cited in Moolman (2012) argues that while South Africa holds 80% of the world’s chromium, manganese, gold and platinum reserves, the shortage of skilled workers means that costs are becoming too high for the industry to be profitable. The statistics for 2001 show that only 181 managers or skilled professionals immigrated to South Africa from MDRs, with 645 going the opposite way (Statistics South Africa 2003, cited in Kok, 2006). These statistics highlight the struggle that South Africa faces with regard to the attraction and retention of talented skilled workers to help keep its economic growth on an upward trajectory.

However, Diseko (2010) argues that this phenomenon is reversing, and cites South Africa’s rapidly growing economy and political stability have seen it once again become a ‘net importer’ of skilled workers. He claims that South Africa now appears an attractive proposition to South African expatriates as well as foreign skilled workers, and argues that this ‘net import’ of skilled workers is driven by economic factors such as the recession within MDRs, such as Europe and North America. Cultural factors are also vitally important within the business environment, as they affect the context of business and social interactions.

Hofstede has developed a In order to understand the cultural aspect of South Africa countryHofstede (2013) This essay will explore current HRM practices in South Africa, with three major aims Identify your country of choice Justify your choice of country Provide a contemporary overview of the country (50 words) Identify the cultural features of your chosen country using Hofstede or another cultural theorist Explain how those cultural features impact upon HR practices in that country (100 words) Identify the PESTLE factors affecting your chosen country. Explain how those PESTLE factors impact upon HR practices in that country. 100 words) What might the future hold for HR in your chosen country? (50 words) These areas will be investigated through a review of existing literature, which will be critically analysed in order to identify areas that may be developed in future. Definition – highly debated, as various HR practitioners define this in different ways. Macey & Schneider (2008) argue that the term is used to describe behaviours, traits and psychological states, and their associated outcomes. Access Talk about how the new educational processes being introduced will enhance variation among the talent pool if it works. ttp://geert-hofstede. com/imprint. html http://geert-hofstede. com/dimensions. html SA at the moment may have the need for people and have the people, but the skills of the people may not match up to the requirements. what has been driving the change, crime rate in johannesburg, violence, more economic potential than actual, growing quite fast, next to BRICKSA is the definition of emerging economies going to include SA? Look at growth rate of BRICKSA economies and compare to European and US economy. TABLE Stagnation in western economies, but is growth being shown as a comparative within the BRICKSA economies.

References Diseko, L, (2010), “South Africa’s brain drain generation returning home”, Available at: [http://articles. cnn. com/2010-11-18/world/south. africa. migration_1_south-africans-violent-crime-job-seekers? _s=PM:WORLD], Accessed on: 15/03/13 Erasmus, B, Van Wyk, M, Schenk, H, (2003), “South African Human Resource Management – Theory & Practice (3rd Edition)“ Formeset, Epping, Cape Town Faul, M, (2013), “South Africa violence against women rate highest in the world”, Available at: [http://www. huffingtonpost. com/2013/03/08/south-africa-violence-against-women_n_2837804. tml], Accessed on: 03/08/13 Government Gazzette South Africa, (2007) [Online], “Criminal law (Sexual offences and related matters) Amendment Act 2007”, Available at: [http://www. info. gov. za/view/DownloadFileAction? id=77866], Accessed on: 12/03/13 HRPractice, (2011), [Online], “Findings from a pilot survey”, Available at: [http://www. hrpractice. co. za/newsletters-online/200907. html] Accessed on:12/02/13 Itano, N, (2003), [Online], “South Africa begins getting tough on rape”, Available at: [http://womensenews. org/story/rape/030224/south-africa-begins-getting-tough-rape#.

UVB2sBzIbX4], Accessed on: 15/03/13 Macey, WH, & Schneider, B, (2008), “The meaning of employee engagement”, Industrial & Organisational Psychology, Volume 1, pp. 3-30 Middleton, L, (2011), “Corrective rape: Fighting a South African scourge”, Available at: [http://www. time. com/time/world/article/0,8599,2057744,00. html], Accessed on: 12/03/13 Moolman, S, (2012), [Online], “The brain drain continues”, Available at: [http://www. miningweekly. com/article/the-brain-drain-continues-2012-08-10], Accessed on:15/03/13 Mufweba, Y, (2003), [Online], “’Corrective rape makes you an African woman’”,

Available at: [http://www. iol. co. za/news/south-africa/corrective-rape-makes-you-an-african-woman-1. 116543#. UVB9mhzIbX4], Accessed on: 14/03/13 Seria, N, & Cohen, M, (2009), [Online], “South Africa’s unemployment rate approaches 23. 5%”, Available at: [http://www. bloomberg. com/apps/news? pid=newsarchive&sid=aoB7RbcZCRfU], Accessed on:14/03/13 Smith, D, (2013), [Online], “South Africa: More of a briquette than a BRIC”, Available at: [http://www. guardian. co. uk/world/2013/mar/24/south-africa-bric-developing-economy], Accessed on:13/03/13 SA HR Best Practice Summit Reportback http://www. hrfuture. et/education-and-training/sa-hr-best-practice-summit-reportback. php? Itemid=265 ARE YOUR EMPLOYEES ENGAGED? http://www. hrpractice. co. za/news/news. html http://www. info. gov. za/view/DownloadFileAction? id=117580 Human resource practices and discrimination in South Africa: overcoming the apartheid legacy http://www. ingentaconnect. com/content/routledg/rijh/2002/00000013/00000007/art00008 Managing human resources in South Africa: A multinational firm focus http://www. emeraldinsight. com/books. htm? chapterid=1761939 http://books. google. co. uk/books? id=uilaYjWdvN4C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false