The process of empowerment of Blacks in affirmative action programmes.
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Date
1996
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Abstract
This research focuses on the experiences of Africans within the management ranks
in South African organisations in the private sector. It examines progress
(successes and failures) in the implementation of affirmative action programmes.
The research further examines power as a concomitant of the managerial role. It
argues that the approach that uses the notion of socio-psychological barriers
directed to the individual aspirant may be incomplete in explaining lack of mobility
if it fails to account for the broader power dynamics and structures within South
African organisations.
Furthermore, it explores attributes of individual managers as well as those of
organisations in order to establish the fit between the individual and the
organisation, looks at practices that are often associated with affirmative action
programmes and describes empirically the experiences of black managers in such
settings. The research concludes that in the absence of programmes that enable
aspirant executives to empower themselves psychologically for upward mobility,
affirmative action programmes may not be sustainable.
The underlying assumption of this research is that the historical legacy which
subjected Africans to an official policy of discrimination for decades impeded their
upward mobility in the labour market, thus enabling the white labour force to occupy
a position of privilege in the private sector. In such settings white managers are
confronted with the role of implementing affirmative action programmes which pose
a threat to the privileges they have grown accumstomed to. White managers are
thus perceived by their black counterparts as reluctant agents of change.
The research is guided by the hypotheses that where blacks in managerial positions
perceive themselves as being unable to influence organisational decisions, or as
having no control over resources, people and information, they would feel that affirmative action is disempowering.
To obtain the required information a structured interview schedule with both open ended
and closed-ended questions was used. Questions tapped the perceptions of
black managers regarding their empowerment in employing organisations. Face-to-face
interviews with 100 black managers from the private sector were conducted by
the author. The resultant data was captured on a computer data base and then
subjected to various forms of statistical analyses.
The main predictor of feelings of empowerment was found to be the manager's
centrality in decision-making processes. It was also found that positive relationships
with superiors and colleagues influenced feelings of empowerment, as did
membership of corporate clubs. Job rank was positively related to relationships with
superiors and colleagues.
It was also found that affirmative action environments presented this group with
some contradictions: they advanced much slower than their white colleagues, and
supervised largely, or only blacks, and/or are in specialist positions with no
budgetary control. Organisational climate factors (negative attitudes and unfair
promotional practices) were still perceived to be in place. Educational qualifications
were not found to be good predictors of empowerment.
The findings suggest that affirmative action programmes need to take the
heterogeneity of managers into account. Management must show that managing
diversity is crucial to their productivity and competitiveness. It is also important for
such programmes to examine the format of corporate clubs, and consider altering
them to accommodate the social reality of black managers. Lastly, a fundamental
transformation of power relations is necessary so that decision-makers operate from
more or less the same level of power.
Description
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1996.
Keywords
Affirmative action programmes--South Africa., Blacks--South Africa--Promotions., Blacks--Employment--South Africa., Discrimination in employment--South Africa., Labour policy--South Africa., Theses--Industrial, organisational and labour studies., Power (Social Sciences)