Technology and people : an analysis of the forest workforce, technology and the sourcing decision in forest harvesting in South Africa

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Technology and People: an analysis of the forest workforce,technology and the sourcing decision in forest harvesting in South Africa. M.Sc.Forestry thesis, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. 124pp.This thesis looks at the profiles of the workforce in forest harvesting in the forestryindustry in South Africa. It provides methods and models to measure and understandpeople (human capital) and technology. It highlights some of the current and strategicchallenges in: employee conditions of employment; occupational health and safety;worker nutrition; training; worker dynamics (employee absenteeism and labourturnover); and the technology in forest harvesting.This study puts additional emphasis towards measuring and understanding the growercompany/contractor interface (i.e., the contractoring philosophy, contractor profiles andcompetitive strategies) and discusses the contracting decision by the growercompanies. The latter, the contracting decision is important because it forms thefoundation and framework upon which forest harvesting contractor businesses are builtand the background for both the people and technology dynamics.Forest harvesting employees in South Africa are working in forestry because theycannot get other jobs elsewhere. They have the following profiles and mobilitycharacteristics: median age, 34 years; median completed school level, Standard 3;median time spent working for forest contractors and grower companies, 2 and 7years, respectively (contractors have been in the business for a median period of 7.5years); and median labour turnover and absenteeism, 4 % and 6 %, respectively. Theemployee median daily wage is R24.00 and the budgeted employee training cost peryear per employee is R41.40. There is a high level of occupational safety awarenessamongst both the contractors and the employees and significantly high injury rates inforest harvesting. Contractors and staff from grower companies believe that the currentand future forest harvesting technology depends on the type and nature of contractsbetween the grower companies and the harvesting contractors, backup services frommachine suppliers, the exchange rates between the Rand and other major currenciesand worker health linked to HIV/AIDS.The study shows that in forest harvesting, there is a need to develop approaches andbusiness strategies to define and manage the workforce since it is the people and thetechnology that work together to generate results. The thesis concludes that, humanskill and knowledge should form the base of an industry along with logic of systems oroperations. The study challenges forest harvesting organisations to measure andintegrate human capital and technology with business objectives. Thus, sustainability inforest harvesting in South Africa will depend on the ability of forest harvestingorganisations to handle the human dimension and to develop/acquire, exploit andmanage technology.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University