Migrant labour constitutes one of the perennial problems of the political economy of the Southern African region. The movement of people between their home countries and the gold mines in South Africa is over a hundred years old. In this sense, labour migrancy predates apartheid, and is now threatening to outlive it. Migrants working in South Africa make up a sizable proportion of the total wage earning population of the neighbouring countries (Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique and Malawi). Their entrenched dependence on migrant-based revenue has made them vulnerable to fluctuations in labour flows to the gold mines (Davies, 1992) The developments since the first quarter of 1988 have altered the terms of debate on migrant labour. With the independence of Namibia and the establishment of a new government in South Africa, to name but a few, the pattern of future regional cooperation has become a central issue. Likewise, the debate about labour migrancy has entered a new phase. Given the current political changes, and yet to take place, this study constitutes a modest attempt to contribute to the debate by examining the prospects of restructuring of labour migrancy to the gold mining industry. The central aim of this undertaking will be to establish what the future holds for the foreign component of the labour force. The focus here will be on the emerging debates in this area, policy pronouncements by major stakeholders, the Chamber of Mines and the new Government of National Unity. However, an informed forecast on the future of labour migrancy is possible only if we establish the conditions that created it in the first place; how it has been constructed overtime; and the successive moments of transformation in the system. In this regard, this study will locate the origins and development of labour migration in its proper historical context ~ before drawing conclusions about the future of the system. In this scholarly pursuit one does not pretend to break a new ground but rather to re-interpret the current literature on migration and establish whether the current pattern of labour migration will change. The research will be based mainly on secondary materials, drawing extensively on published materials, journals and articles.

In recent years, it has become clear that a lot of corporate collapse can be traced down to poor leadership. As more and more black executives are climbing the corporate ladder, it is becoming all the more necessary to explore how their effective leadership development can occur with private organisations in South Africa. There are many challenges and constraints associated with the leadership development of these executives. This can be expected as they are entering an environment which has been largely white-dominated. As a result they find themselves facing the challenges of succeeding amidst negative perceptions they have experienced from their superiors and subtle pressures from subordinates. Therefore, it can only be expected that if organisations are to maintain a competitive advantage they need to understand how to effectively develop this new breed of leaders. Hence, the researcher has used a qualitative approach to investigate the complexities of the experiences of black executives in private organisations. In terms of the theoretical framework, the research focuses on some of the new approaches to leadership. It was discovered that leadership development is essentially a process that goes beyond mere training sessions, and largely involves the relationships one has within the organisation. This involves relationships with superiors, peers, and subordinates. The research indicates that if these relationships are managed effectively, leadership development is enhanced. Whilst the role of formal training programs appeared somewhat downplayed, it was clear that these programs had a strong role in terms of their psychological impact on participants. They certainly affected their perception of the organisation and their own self-efficacy. The research, therefore illustrates how there are a variety of individual and organisational attributes that form a basis for effective leadership development of blacks in private organisations. The researcher argues that if these are implemented, organisational well-being is enhanced.

M.A. (Industrial Psychology) / South Africa is a country richly blessed with natural and human resources. Optimal utilization of human resources is of great importance for economic development, but a number 9f factors with specific reference to the South African situation restrain this development, i.e; A shortage-of skilled labour 2. A small white population that has to satisfy the demand for skilled labour, and 3. A shortage of supervisory and middle management. By means of training, the shortage of skilled labour can be reduced and by placing Blacks in supervisory positions the demand on the white population can be eased. One of the first levels of management is that of the first line supervisor. The position of the Black first line supervisor is receiving more and more attention from industrialists who realise the importance of these supervisors for the healthy functioning of an organisation. Black supervisors can be effective, but they have to be selected and trained correctly. The focus of this study is placed on the selection of Black first line supervisors. Two selection instruments, The Work Preference Questionnaire (WPQ) and the Picture Situation Test (PST) were specifically developed for this purpose, but the metric qualities of the tests were not known until now. The aim of this study is to determine the validity of these two selection instruments. The model for concurrent validity is used.

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, November 2018 / South Africa gained strong recognition all over the world after the fall of apartheid. Alas their quest to depolarizing the economy of the country has not ended. Several transformational initiatives have been set up by the government to accomplish this feat, the latest and most successful, in terms of economic empowerment, is the Broad-Based Back Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Act. This initiative has however, been criticized by academics and its direct beneficiaries as not fulfilling its underlying purpose which is to smooth the coexistence of its diversified society. The question has been “is this just another initiative that gives the picture-perfect demographic representation in the work environment or is it giving us much more?” A major discourse has been controversies about the Act’s operationality in achieving its aim and its possible contribution in reinforcing discrimination resulting from societal power shift; hence, the backlash effect on beneficiaries and reverse discrimination on the non-PDI’s (previously disadvantaged individuals). It is on the premise of these questions and criticisms that this research strives to evaluate the Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment initiative as a diversity initiative that has gone beyond managing diversity to fostering diversity. It introduced a framework for fostering diversity which was used as a guideline in developing the Fostering Diversity Index questionnaire. Purposive sampling was used, focusing on nine top BEE companies as rated by EmpowerDex. A well-structured questionnaire was developed and distributed within the companies. These companies had their organisational culture assessed, psychological empowerment evaluated and social perceptions of diversity through the implementation of BBBEE evaluated. Findings from this research indicate that the BBBEE Act has a good potential for fostering diversity; however, fostering diversity requires an organisation to have a culture which embraces diversity as well as an adequate level of psychological empowerment. Without both, there will always be the disconnect between a government diversity initiative, such as the BBBEE and the internal state of affairs of the organisation. This study shows the dynamic relationships between organisational culture, social perception of diversity and psychological empowerment within these top-rated BEE companies. Gender was the only factor that predicts workplace diversity. Among the implication to policy, it is recommended that the implementation process of BBBEE be reviewed to attend to the salient issues of diversity. / XL2019

A research report submitted by in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Commerce, University of the Witwatersrand, 2019 / Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) legislation was introduced in South Africa to combat the significant modern-day racial inequality caused by Apartheid. While social returns are the primary objective of BEE, one must assess whether compliance with this legislation has also yielded financial returns. Prior studies have mainly focused on the effect of the composite BEE Scorecard on performance, and have produced inconclusive and conflicting results. This study therefore aims to gain further insight into the impact of the BEE scorecard by isolating the influence of each element of the BEE scorecard on performance. A quantitative study was undertaken using Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed firms as the population. A multivariate panel regression analysis was performed using return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE) and share returns (SHR) as proxies for performance over the period 2011 to 2017. The final sample translated into 346 company-year observations for the ROA and ROE models, and 381 for the SHR model. Initial analyses evidenced a strong positive correlation between ROA/ROE and Employment Equity. The regression analyses, which controlled for profitability, growth, asset utilisation, debt, size, industry and macro-economic factors, returned two significant findings. The Ownership element of the scorecard was positively associated with both ROA and ROE, while Socio-Economic Development was negatively associated with ROA. The findings from this study add to the body of BEE research that shareholders, managers and policy-makers can consider when making decisions about BEE policies. Ongoing research to further develop these findings will assist companies in supporting the movement for economic unity while maximising their own value creation. / PH2020

<p>This study focused on Black Economic Empowerment and gender in the liquid fuels industry. It explored the possible means of empowerment and questions the seriousness of organizations to institute programmes that are gender sensitive. The liquid fuels industry in South Africa served as the pinnacle of the apartheid state. It possessed the strength to survive the onslaught of the economic sanctions imposed as a result of apartheid. It was because of these stringent economic sanctions that it was forced to survive on its own with limited assistance. The advent of democracy in 1994 gave this industry the impetus to grow in terms of Gender and Black Economic Empowerment.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits Business School, 2016 / The market research industry prides itself on providing accurate and reliable information and solutions to varying business problems. However, the industry has been faced with the challenge of racial transformation at senior decision-making positions of the organisations. The pace of upward mobility of black researchers is slow and this is a threat for the industry because the senior level positions are often tasked with the analysis of research data and formulation of the strategic insights and business solutions to communicate to clients and stakeholders to meet their business needs. Therefore, it is difficult to be confident that the data about the black market does not get lost in translation and interpretation due to cultural nuances that may not be accessed. What is unique about the market research industry is that promotions to senior level positions are based on training on the job and the mastering of relevant skills on the job rather than specific prior training at college or university level. This opened theoretical and practical questions about the individual and organisational qualities that made it difficult for black researchers to progress to senior level positions. A phenomenological research approach was implemented to explore the lived experiences of the black researchers and the organisations, which could explain the slow upward mobility pace. In-depth semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with four CEOs of prominent organisations in the industry and 14 black researchers at various levels in these organisations. These interviews identified the organisational identity espoused by the leadership and the organisational identity lived by the black researchers. Narrative identity research approach and Erikson’s (1956) stage developmental model guided the process of understanding the individual identity of the black researchers at the point of the interview. The results suggest that there are three categories of black researchers in the industry. It is those who are not promoted within a specified timeframe promised by the leadership who leave the organisations, those who are not promoted but stay in the organisations for longer periods than would have been expected and those researchers who are promoted to senior level positions. Each of these categories shows unique individual qualities that potentially shape their experience in the organisations. A framework for understanding the interplay between the various lived experiences and outcomes has been developed. The slow pace of racial transformation at senior levels of the organisations can be traced to the responses of organisational management to change and the types of social exchange relationships between the black researchers and management. Future research may quantify the findings and validate the framework developed in this study to establish generalisability in the industry and in contexts outside the market research industry. A case study research methodology focusing on all the demographics of the organisations could also enrich the framework. / MT 2018

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<p>This study focused on Black Economic Empowerment and gender in the liquid fuels industry. It explored the possible means of empowerment and questions the seriousness of organizations to institute programmes that are gender sensitive. The liquid fuels industry in South Africa served as the pinnacle of the apartheid state. It possessed the strength to survive the onslaught of the economic sanctions imposed as a result of apartheid. It was because of these stringent economic sanctions that it was forced to survive on its own with limited assistance. The advent of democracy in 1994 gave this industry the impetus to grow in terms of Gender and Black Economic Empowerment.</p>

Thesis (MTech (Human Resource Management))--Cape Technikon, 1996. / Labour relations in South Africa is directly influenced by affirmative action in the work place, creating potential labour relations opportunities and threats within organisations. An investigation was done to ascertain the influence of affirmative action on labour relations. A comparative study of employer and trade union perceptions indicated a marked consensus between the two parties. The differences between the parties can be addressed by collective bargaining. A theoretical framework was developed, which demonstrated that worker participation and joint decision-making on affirmative action programmes should be regarded as essential for the success of these programmes. Shortcomings in current affirmative action programmes emanate from unilateral decision-making by management. A lack of legitimacy in affirmative action programmes results from non-consultation with trade unions. This has a detrimental effect on the credibility of affirmative action programmes and as a result no real employee development occurs. The labour relations climate is thus impaired. The research methodology included interviews (conducted with a number of academics, human resource managers and trade unionists) and postal questionnaires, which were completed by 231 managers (human resource and line managers) in both private and public organisations in the Western Cape.