M.Comm. / Due to frustration experienced in the development and implementation of affirmative action programmes, a definite need was identified for a working tool or document that would allow managers in the engineering industry to quantify and set reasonable achievable targets or goals with respect to the same. The general perception existed in industry that insufficient schooled manpower - like professional engineers - was available in the market to reach the almost arbitrarily chosen affirmative action goals (seemingly based on general group proportionality within the South African society).Quota based systems introduced in especially the public sector and para-statal organisations where it is required that up to 70 per cent previously disadvantaged personnel (all blacks, Asians, coloureds and white women) have to be appointed to management positions by the year 2000, motivated this perception. Due to the engineering industry's unique management structure which largely consists of technical staff climbing the corporate ladder, this proved to be an impossible objective in most instances giving rise to spiralling employment costs due to normal market forces and caused by demand far outstripping supply. This study therefore focuses on the numerical quantification of the available resources to allow affirmative action goals to be re-evaluated and adjusted according to the actual availability of resources. In conclusion it may be said that the process of affirmative action is a reality, but that the engineering industry should guard against accepting general yardsticks and requirements. Managers should make a proper study of the fields of application and their environment before setting any affirmative action goals. The existing shortages in the manpower resources that meets both schooling- and affirmative action requirements within the engineering industry, should be addressed through well designed training programmes and not through the setting of ill defined goals merely based on a general quota system.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:9051 |
| Date | 13 August 2012 |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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