The South African Call Centre Industry: A Study of Strategy, Human Resource Practices and Performance

Author(s):  
Chris Benner ◽  
Charles Lewis ◽  
Rahmat Omar
2019 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anton Grobler ◽  
Sonja Grobler ◽  
Rose Mathafena

Orientation: Human resources (HR) practices and specifically the perceptions thereof are not only important for organisational strategy and performance but have a direct impact on employee attitudes and behaviour. The accurate measurement of these perceptions is therefore important.Research purpose: The goal of this study was to validate the Human Resource Practices Perceptions Questionnaire for the South African context (which is unique in terms of its apparent collectivistic nature), from an etic perspective.Motivation for the study: The accurate measurement of employees’ perception of HR practices are essential to give the organisation a competitive advantage. This study was done to validate a HR practices perceptions questionnaire in a seemingly collectivistic context.Research approach/design and method: This study is based on a cross-sectional survey design, collecting primary data on the perceptions of HR practices from 1676 South African employees in public and private sector organisations. An exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted.Main findings: The EFA and CFA yielded a slightly different permutation compared to the initial factor structure. A nine-factor structure was extracted and confirmed. A slight adjustment of the original questionnaire was required to incorporate performance evaluation with a teamwork focus and to differentiate training from development. It was further found that invariance exists when comparing the private and the public sectors.Practical/managerial implications: It was found that the instrument had to be adjusted for the South African context to ensure an accurate measurement of employees’ perceptions of HR practices.Contribution/value-add: The instrument has been validated and can thus be used with confidence to assess the perceptions of HR practices regardless of the sector. It thus provides an accurate measurement that can be used to predict or explain other employee behavioural outcomes in relation to their perceptions of the HR practices.


2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 52
Author(s):  
Sumathi G N

<span lang="EN-US">The study is aimed to identify various human resource practices in the public healthcare sector and to measure the level of human resource practices. The study adopts the perceptual view of healthcare professionals such as medical officers and staff nurses working in Primary Health Centres of Tamilnadu. A survey using a questionnaire is used to collect data from healthcare professionals. The results indicated that human resource practices such as job autonomy and job security are perceived to be useful and necessary, while training and performance management system are found to provide necessary inputs for carrying job duties and practices such as career growth opportunities and compensation need the attention of the officials of Health and Family Welfare department of Tamilnadu Government for enhancing the utility of these practices</span><span>.</span>


2007 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 33-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Buys ◽  
C. Olckers ◽  
P. Schaap

The Job Characteristics Model, the accompanying Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS) and the proposed steps for improving motivation, satisfaction and performance have been functionally utilized in South Africa as a revised job redesign practice to address some critical human resources problems currently facing managers and human resources practitioners. The aim of the study was ] to determine the construct validity of the Revised Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS) in the South African context. The Revised JDS was evaluated using item analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. The finding of this study is in favour of the Revised JDS as a reliable and factorially valid instrument for South African use. The promising results of this study should pave the way for further research and the search for more conclusive evidence on the construct validity of the Revised JDS in the South African context.


Author(s):  
Ali A. Wangara ◽  
Katherine M. Hunold ◽  
Sarah Leeper ◽  
Frederick Ndiawo ◽  
Judith Mweu ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Nico Schutte ◽  
Nicolene Barkhuizen ◽  
Lidewey Van der Sluis

Orientation: Human research (HR) practitioners have an important role to play in the sustainability and competitiveness of organisations. Yet their strategic contribution and the value they add remain unrecognised.Research purpose: The main objective of this research was to explore the extent to which HR practitioners are currently allowed to display HR competencies in the workplace, and whether any significant differences exist between perceived HR competencies, based on the respondents’ demographic characteristics.Motivation for the study: Limited empirical research exists on the extent to which HR practitioners are allowed to display key competencies in the South African workplace.Research approach, design, and method: A quantitative research approach was followed. A Human Resource Management Professional Competence Questionnaire was administered to HR practitioners and managers (N = 481).Main findings: The results showed that HR competencies are poorly applied in selected South African workplaces. The competencies that were indicated as having the poorest application were talent management, HR metrics, HR business knowledge, and innovation. The white ethic group experienced a poorer application of all human research management (HRM) competencies compared to the black African ethnic group.Practical/managerial implications: The findings of the research highlighted the need for management to evaluate the current application of HR practices in the workplace and also the extent to which HR professionals are involved as strategic business partners.Contribution/value-add: This research highlights the need for the current application of HR competencies in South African workplaces to be improved.


2015 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nico Schutte ◽  
Nicolene Barkhuizen ◽  
Lidewey Van der Sluis

Orientation: The last two decades have seen a great interest in the development of human resource management (HRM) professional competence models to advance the value-add of HR practitioners in organisations. However, empirical research on competency requirements for HR practitioners in the South African context has not been forthcoming.Research purpose: The main objective of the present research was to validate a HRM competence measure for the assessment of professional HRM competencies in the workplace. Motivation for the study: Competency models can assist HR professionals in supporting their organisations to achieve success and sustainability.Research approach, design and method: A cross-sectional research approach was followed. The proposed HRM Professional Competence Model was administered to a diverse population of HR managers and practitioners (N = 483). Data were analysed using SPSS 22.0 for Windows. Main findings: Exploratory factor analysis resulted in three distinguishable competency dimensions for HR professionals: Professional behaviour and leadership (consisting of the factors Leadership and personal credibility, Solution creation, Interpersonal communication and Innovation), Service orientation and execution (consisting of the factors Talent management, HR risk, HR metrics and HR service delivery) and Business intelligence (consisting of the factors Strategic contribution, HR business knowledge, HR business acumen and HR technology). All factors showed acceptable construct equivalence for the English and indigenous language groups. Practical/managerial implications: Managers can utilise the validated competence measure to measure the performance of HR practitioners in the organisation. Contribution/value-add: This research adds to the limited HR professional competence measures that currently exist.


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