A case study of private-public sector labour market mobilities of South African medical laboratory specialists.
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Date
2012
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Abstract
This thesis examines the labour market for medical laboratory specialists, specifically
anatomical pathologists and haematologists in KwaZulu-Natal. It aimed to establish the
extent of mobility of pathologists from the public to the private sector and vice versa. This
study also aimed to investigate the reasons for such movement and importantly, the effects of
this mobility. Lee’s (1966) push-pull theory of migration was assessed in terms of its
applicability to mobility in the local context and is extended and adapted to this context.
The five key research questions on which this thesis is based are: What is the nature of labour
markets for medical laboratory specialists in KwaZulu-Natal? What is the extent of the
mobility of medical laboratory specialists from the public sector to the private sector and vice
versa in KwaZulu-Natal? What are the causes of such mobility between public and private
sectors in KwaZulu-Natal? What are the effects or implications of the movement of medical
laboratory specialists in KwaZulu-Natal? Lastly, to what extent can Lee’s (1966) push-pull
theory of migration be adapted to account for the mobility of anatomical pathologists and
haematologists between the public and private sectors in KwaZulu-Natal?
This study adopted a case study design that used a purposive sampling strategy. There were
23 participants involved in the study. Of the 23 participants selected, 11 were anatomical
pathologists and nine were haematologists. The remaining three participants were a
microbiologist, a migration specialist and an international anatomical pathologist. Key
findings indicated that mobility between the public and private sectors does occur. The labour
market for medical laboratory specialists displayed 23 anatomical pathologists and 11
haematologists in KwaZulu-Natal. Financial reasons were not the only reasons that
pathologists switched sectors; rather the decision rested on several other non-economic
factors such as the working environment, flexibility and even management styles. The effects
of mobility include delays in diagnosis and patient care as well as increased stress levels and
workloads of specialists. Certain push-pull factors of Lee’s (1966) push-pull theory were
found to apply to the local context of this study.
Description
Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.
Keywords
Labour market--South Africa., Labour mobility--South Africa., Medical personnel--South Africa., Theses--Industrial, organisational and labour studies.