Management and employee perceptions of a black advancement programme

[摘要] This study adopts an exploratory approach focusing on the perceptionsof lower and middle management levels and their subordinate.semi-skilled and skilled Black employees.The purpose of the study was to identify critical factors, as perceivedby White lower and middle management levels as well as semi-skilledand skilled Black employees, required to run a successful BlackAdvancement Programme within specllic organisations. The sampleconsisted of seventeen White lower and middle level managers andsixty-three Black semi-skilled and skilled employees. Each participantcompleted e self-administered questionnaire which listed 32 statementsreflecting specific Black Advancement activities. Respondents had to indicate to what degree they consider the listed activities willinfluence the future success of the Black Advancement Programme.Critical factors were identified by comparing the management andemployee perceptions of each listed activity. The results of the research confirm that management perceive BlackAdvancement progress in a significantly more positive way thanemployees do. The perceptions of the two groups indicate a statisticallysignificant difference regarding the following Black Advancementactivities: management clarification of values and corporate commitmentby top rnanagement, strategic human resources planning, linemanagement ownership and accountability, targets set or affirmativeaction, staff attitudes, two-way communlcation, formal training, addressingdiscriminatory practices and monitoring and tollow-up.,These findings correspond with reasons given by Hofmeyr (1989) andHuman (1991) as to why Black Advancement Programmes fail. Inanalysing these findings and the literature it appears that effective BlackAdvancement is highly unlikely if done in isolation. Black Advancementmust be part of a larger Human Resource Strategic Plan and theimplementation and reinforcing of plans and policies made. However.being part of a larger Human Resource Strategy implies that BlackAdvancement should not be a programme on its own, but rather bepart of a strategic Staff Deve!opment Programme.

[发布机构] University of the Witwatersrand