Assessing diversity management within the Western Cape Department of Community Safety

[摘要] South Africa has committed itself to social transformation: institutional transformationthrough the removal of racism and sexism in all legislation, business, employment practices,service delivery and interpersonal relationships: in all of society; and in all spheres ofgovernment. Diversity in the South African context is dynamic and complicated as a result ofthe -apartheid era. There are many political, social and economic factors that are majorobstacles to building healthy intercultural relations in South Africa. In today's corporateworkplace, diversity management is what is mostly used to bring about transformation. TheSouth African Constitution enacted in 1996 states that South Africa belongs to all who live init, being united in our diversity. We are now almost two decades into our democracy and,despite progress being made to ensure redress of historical imbalances in South Africa;diversity management is not advancing at the pace that had initially been envisaged. It istherefore evident that, despite enabling legislation to promote diversity management,translating such into practice is proving to be quite a daunting challenge.It has been noted that organisations are still grappling with issues of diversity. Working withpeople who have different values, beliefs, attitudes, perceptions, customs and languagesfrom your own can result in costly miscommunication, misinterpretation, misunderstandingand misperception. This subject of diversity management has been explored exhaustively byvarious authors over time and various explanations for lack of progress have been offered.Over the years, the Western Cape Department of Community Safety (DCS) has witnessedan in increase in its organisational workforce. Employees from different backgrounds wererecruited to achieve representivity in the workplace. It even went to the extent of appointingfemales in fields of employment which were previously predominantly staffed by males.The thesis assessed the DCS approach to diversity management by:- Firstly, obtaining an understanding of how diversity is managed in the department;- Secondly exploring the concept of diversity management in various contexts;- Thirdly exploring the legislative context for diversity management in the South AfricanPublic Service; and- Determining the DCSs approach to diversity management by using the currentsituation in the DCS as a case studyA qualitative case study research design with structured interviews and surveyquestionnaires was used to conduct the study. This was used to draw inferences betweenpractice and theory. The literature review on what diversity management is has been begrouped into dimensions to influence managers to formulate a model on how to embraceand value diversity in the workplace. The research findings clearly indicate that theDepartment of Community Safety still has much to do in terms of implementing theprescribed legislation on diversity.It is expected that the study will assist the department in its endeavour to achieve a greaterlevel of compliance. In an organisation, the desired results of the 'value all differencesapproach are synergy and pluralism combined with an appreciation of and contributiontowards goals and objectives. Recommendations are proposed in relation to what is key todiversity management as well as identifying determining factors of successful management.The main aim is the implementation of the diversity management model that comprisesseveral steps.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University