Managing Human Resources in Africa (Global Hrm)

221 Pages·2003·0.8 MB·English

by  Ken Kamoche

Managing Human Resources
in Africa
As rival economies such as Asia mature, attention is now shifting to new frontiers
like Africa. But academic debate too often neglects the complexities and diversity
of this continent, and the challenges faced by both multinational companies working
across Africa and domestic African companies, particularly in the human resource
(HR) field.
Managing Human Resources in Africa is a refreshing new book that boldly tackles the
HR challenges in countries right across the African continent, examining the impact of
contextual factors on the development of HR practices in Africa.
Taking a regional approach to the subject, and featuring chapters on South Africa,
Botswana, Zambia, Mauritius, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Tunisia,
and Libya, this comprehensive study is written and edited by those with the knowledge
and experience of the complexities of the continent. It offers a fresh perspective on
a growing subject area, and shows readers not only how to develop techniques and
practices that reflect the real needs of workers in Africa, but also provides a more
balanced analysis of the area than they might usually expect.
Valuable to not only students and researchers in international management, human
resources, organization theory and cross-cultural management, this topical and
much-needed study is also critical reading for managers of multinational companies
and domestic managers in Africa.
Ken N. Kamocheis Associate Professor at City University of Hong Kong.
Yaw A. Debrahis Reader at Brunel University, UK. Frank M. Horwitz is Professor
at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Gerry Nkombo Muuka is Associate
Professor at Murray State University, USA.
Routledge Global Human Resource Management Series
Edited by Randall S. Schuler, Susan E. Jackson, Paul Sparrow and Michael Poole
Routledge Global Human Resource Managementis an important new series that
examines human resources in its global context. The series is organized into three
strands: content and issues in global Human Resource Management (HRM); specific
HR functions in a global context; and comparative HRM. Authored by some of the
world’s leading authorities on HRM, each book in the series aims to give readers
comprehensive, indepth and accessible texts that combine essential theory and best
practice. Topics covered include cross-border alliances, global leadership, global
relations and global staffing.
Managing Human Resources in Cross-Border Alliances
Randall S. Schuler, Susan E. Jackson and Yadong Luo
Managing Human Resources in Africa
Edited by Ken N. Kamoche, Yaw A. Debrah, Frank M. Horwitz, and
Gerry Nkombo Muuka
Managing Human Resources
in Africa
Edited by Ken N. Kamoche, Yaw A. Debrah,
Frank M. Horwitz, and Gerry Nkombo Muuka
First published 2004 by
Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by
Routledge 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2004.
©2004 Ken N. Kamoche, Yaw A. Debrah, Frank M. Horwitz, and
Gerry Nkombo Muuka editorial matter and selection; individual chapters,
the contributors
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Managing human resources in Africa / edited by Ken N. Kamoche...[et al.].—1st ed.
p. cm. — (Routledge global human resource management series; 2)
Includes bibliography references and indexes.
1. Personnel management—Africa. 2. International business
enterprises—Personnel management. I. Kamoche, Ken N. II. Series.
HF5549.2.A35M36 2003
658.3′00967—dc21 2003008118
ISBN 0-203-63376-8 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0-203-63762-3 (Adobe eReader Format)
ISBN 0–415–36948–7 (hbk)
ISBN 0–415–36949–5 (pbk)
For Anna, Mum and the memory of Dad
Ken
Kwadwo Debrah and Afua Fofie
Yaw
To Dianne
Frank
To Mum and Dad: Mary Mutinta Muuka and Cornerious Mufundisi Muuka,
back in Monze, Zambia
Gerry

Contents
List of illustrations ix
List of contributors xi
Foreword xiii
Preface xv
KEN N. KAMOCHE, GERRY NKOMBO MUUKA, FRANK M. HORWITZ,
AND YAW A. DEBRAH
1 HRM in South Africa 1
FRANK M. HORWITZ, STELLA M. NKOMO, AND MAHAMED RAJAH
2 HRM in Botswana 19
DOROTHY MPABANGA
3 HRM in Zambia 35
GERRY NKOMBO MUUKA AND KENNETH KAOMA MWENDA
4 HRM in Mauritius 53
ANITA RAMGUTTY-WONG
5 HRM in Tanzania 69
YAW A. DEBRAH
6 HRM in Kenya 87
KEN N. KAMOCHE, STEPHEN M. NYAMBEGERA, AND
MUNYAE M. MULINGE
7 HRM in Ethiopia 103
SEMAW MEKONNEN AND AMINU MAMMAN
8 HRM in Ghana 121
SAMUEL ARYEE
viii • Contents
9 HRM in Ivory Coast 135
CONSTANT D. BEUGRÉ
10 HRM in Tunisia 151
MAHMOUD YAGOUBI
11 HRM in Libya 169
ABDOULHAKEM ALMHDIE AND STEPHEN M. NYAMBEGERA
12 Conclusions: toward a research agenda 183
YAW A. DEBRAH, FRANK M. HORWITZ, KEN N. KAMOCHE, AND
GERRY NKOMBO MUUKA
Index 191
Illustrations
Figure
Frontispiece: Map of Africa showing the countries covered by this book xxiv
Tables
1.1 Claimed monthly household income by race, 2000 5
9.1 Cultural patterns in Ivory Coast: a triadic framework 139
9.2 Hypothesized relations between managers and employees based on
ethic affiliations 141
10.1 Environmental challenges faced by Tunisian organizations in the mid-1990s 164