Browsing by Author "Horwitz, Frank Martin"

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    An analysis of skills development in a transitional economy: the case of the South African labour market
    (Taylor & Francis, 2013-05-20T00:00:00Z) Horwitz, Frank Martin
    This article evaluates the extent to which both the supply and retention of scarce skills are adequate for South Africa to compete with similar emerging, transitional economies in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries, a grouping it has recently joined. The aim of this article is to analyse the basis for skills shortages, policy measures taken and capacity to implement plans. Using a labour market approach to skills formation and integrating this with institutional analysis, this article critically evaluates the nature of the skills shortage, barriers to skills retention, HR strategies for talent management and public policy questions. This analysis concludes that South Africa is adversely affected by a shortage of intermediate and certain high-level skills. This analysis identifies four propositions for further investigation by policy-makers and researchers. The implications of this analysis underline the importance of appropriate labour market supply-side policy measures and firm-level HR strategic choices for skills retention and utilization.
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    An assessment of Employment Equity and Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment in South Africa
    (2011-06-02) Horwitz, Frank Martin; Jain, Harish
    This general review article provides an assessment of employment equity, Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) and associated human resource management policies in South Africa. Polices and practices, and progress in representation of formerly disadvantaged groups are evaluated.
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    Book Review: Emerging Indian Multinationals: strategic players in a multipolar world
    (SAGE, 2016-12-21) Horwitz, Frank Martin
    There is a growing literature on the development of emerging market multinational companies (EMMNCs). This research seeks to identify EMMNC sources of competitive advantage in relation to developed market MNCs, their dynamic capabilities, explain their strategies for internationalisation including acquisitions, mergers and international joint ventures, policies and practices in their international operations in both developed and emerging markets. This literature includes comparative analyses of the evolution of these EMMNCs through case studies, ethnographic and qualitative research on their strategies in relation to those of developed Western MNCs (see for example Demirbag and Yaprak 2015) and the more recent International Journal of Emerging Markets (Emerald Publishing).
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    Chinese business negotiations: South African firm experiences and perspectives
    (2008-12-31T00:00:00Z) Horwitz, Frank Martin; Hemmant, Russell; Rademeyer, Conrad
    South African business joint ventures in China are increasing. Successful negotiations are a key component when establishing a gateway into the Chinese market. This research is undertaken to establish South African business negotiators’ understanding of Chinese business negotiation styles and behaviours and determinants of cross-cultural negotiation. Primary data was obtained through quantitative ranking style questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with selected South African business people who have had business negotiations with Chinese firms. The research revealed that perceptions held by South African business negotiators do not differ substantially from that of Westerners with regards to aspects such as trust relationships, hierarchical decision making, long-term decision making, networks and the concept of ‘fa
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    Employment equity in Canada and South Africa: a comparative review
    (Taylor and Francis, 2011-09-09) Jain, Harish; Horwitz, Frank Martin; Wilkin, Christa L.
    The South African Government has sought to redress the historical legacy of workplace discrimination by introducing the Employment Equity Act (1998), which was largely modeled on the Canadian Employment Equity Act. Although there is very little comparative information between South Africa and Canada, we fill this gap by reviewing the literature in both countries, highlighting common features of the legislation, discussing the effectiveness of legislation in both countries as well as the progress made by the designated groups covered by the legislation. This paper provides a background on the rationale for employment equity and associated human resource management policies in both Canada and South Africa. The analysis is largely based on institutional theories of organizations. Our evaluation provides overall conclusions for policy makers and organizational leaders, taking into consideration socio-historical, political, and demographic differences between the jurisdictions. Issues include top management commitment, organizational culture, Black economic empowerment, and diversity policies and practice.
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    Expatriation in Chinese MNEs in Africa: an agenda for research
    (Taylor and Francis, 2017-02-16) Jackson, Terence; Horwitz, Frank Martin
    Despite increasing Chinese MNE activity there is a paucity of studies and critical analysis of expatriate management in Emerging Market Multinational Enterprises (EMMNEs). We argue that Chinese firms’ expatriation policies and practices should be viewed in a different light to those of Western firms. We question whether Western modernization assumptions for emerging markets, often implicit within the international HRM literature, are appropriate when applied to Chinese MNEs. This has implications for the motivations of official Chinese policy regarding the presence of state MNEs in African countries, and individual Chinese MNE expatriation policies. Political-seeking motives may be moderated by an apparent disjuncture between Chinese official policy and individual firms’ operational practices. Some potential synergies between Chinese and African cultural values are moderated by a low importance placed on the knowledge transfer role of Chinese expatriates and by the impact of the relational nature of career development including expatriate selection and an apparent low emphasis on pre-departure training. The main contribution of this work is to inform future empirical research at organizational level by making explicit differences in Chinese MNE engagement in Africa to Western MNEs, how this may influence expatriate policy and practices, and why this may contribute a different perspective to the extant expatriation literature. This article provides a critical evaluation of the current literature, theory and research, and identifies an agenda for expatriation research in the African context
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    An Exploration of Lebanese Leadership Effects on Followers‘ Work and Home Life Integration – A Banking Sector Study
    (Cranfield University, 2014-10) Hachem, Fadi; Horwitz, Frank Martin; Doherty, Noeleen; Kakabadse, Andrew P.
    This thesis examines leaders‘ behaviours differential effects on the work/home balance of their followers through a leader/follower fit perspective. The study explores perceived effects of leader‘s actions on followers‘ work/home balance in a Lebanese context. At the individual/dyad level, this research attempts to integrate these two areas of study. It aims to better understand, Lebanese employees‘ perspectives on the Lebanese leaders‘ practice of leadership in the banking industry and the perceived effect of this practice on the followers‘ work and home boundary management. Based on the adoption of a qualitative exploratory approach, the author conducts thirty semi-structured interviews with five leaders and twenty-five followers in different regions and divisions of the XYZ bank. The dissertation makes several theoretical and empirical contributions. First, boundary theory is empirically extended through the identification of one of the antecedents, i.e., polychronicity, of an individual‘s work/home segmentation/integration preference. Second, boundary theory is developed through the exploration of the Lebanese leaders‘ actions‘ impact on the followers‘ management of their work/home boundaries. Third, the literature on fit between the leader and the follower along different dimensions of interest to them is extended and developed. Fourth, the literature on the Middle East and in Lebanon on specific is enhanced. The implications of the Lebanese context, subject of this study, on the leadership and work/home literature are meaningful. In addition to these contributions, this study helps to surface ―actionable knowledge‖ on how to facilitate an employee‘s struggle to reach a harmony between his work and home life. This search for balance is increasingly sought nowadays as a result of the increase in work-related pressures especially for dual-earners.
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    Future HRM challenges for multinational firms in Eastern and Central Europe
    (2011-06-02) Horwitz, Frank Martin
    This article identifies and evaluates human resource challenges for multinational companies in transitional economies in Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC). The nature of transitional economies and HRM in post-socialist societies presents a range of issues. These pertain to the lingering effects of the previous institutional environment and state directed political economies which retain influence on the type of HRM practices adopted. Challenges of talent attraction and retention, remuneration systems, diversity and cross-cultural management are considered.
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    International HRM in South African multinational companies
    (Elsevier, 2017-02-09) Horwitz, Frank Martin
    With the paucity of published research on human resource management (HRM) policy and practice in the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), the rationale for this article is to evaluate the nature of HRM practices, their development, application and diffusion in South African MNCs. It provides an exploratory analysis in a systematic literature review referring to qualitative case study research and research survey literature to better understand HRM strategies and practices developed and diffused by growing emerging market MNCs from South Africa. The findings underline significant challenges of human resource development and controversies regarding host country issues alongside a degree of ‘sophistication’ in the HRM practices of firms analysed. An aim of the article is to identify areas for further research on business and HRM models of Emerging Market MNCs (EMMNCs) in the African context and develop a set of seven research propositions.
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    Managing human resources in South Africa: A multinational firm focus
    (Elsevier, 2008-12-31T00:00:00Z) Horwitz, Frank Martin; Jain, Harish
    Two key developments exert an important influence on the nature of human resource management (HRM) in South Africa (SA). The first is two seemingly conflicting imperatives, sometimes and arguably wrongly juxtaposed: that of developing a high-growth, globally competitive economy with fuller employment and the sociopolitical imperative of redressing past structural inequalities of access to skilled, professional, and managerial positions, as well as ownership opportunities. The first development is the related influences of globalization and multinational corporations (MNCs), information technology, and increased competition, which have become very prominent in postapartheid SA. South Africa has a dual labor market, with a well-developed formal sector employing some 8.5 million workers in standard or typical work and a growing informal labor market. In the case of the formal, knowledge-based economy, the World Wide Web, and increasing communication that the Internet has made possible, has influenced changes at the organizational level. A second development is that these changes and changing patterns of employment are having a dramatic impact on HR policies within organizations. In a knowledge-based economy, organizations rely on knowledge that is embedded deeply in the individual and in the collective subconscious. It is the property of an individual and cannot be taken away from that person (Harrison & Kessels, 2004). He or she would agree to put it in the service of the collective whole, which is known as organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). In technology-driven advanced firms in SA, there are several themes among the various models of citizenship behavior: helping behavior, sportsmanship, organizational loyalty, organizational compliance, initiative, civic virtue, and self-development (Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, & Bachrach, 2000). Many of these themes overlap with the common competencies demanded by advanced MNCs. Thus OCBs rest upon a recognition of mutuality of interest and of responsibility between the organization and the individuals. Increasing globalization and worldwide competition and the knowledge-based economy have their greatest impact on business strategies, process, and practice involving, among others, management of human resources. In this chapter we examine factors influencing the management of human resources in SA and their impact on human resource practices in organizations.
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    The role, nature and contribution of Indian emerging market multinational companies in African countries
    (SAGE, 2023-10-04) Horwitz, Frank Martin; Ronnie, Linda; Kamoche, Ken
    This article examines factors pertaining to the development of Indian emerging market multinational companies (EMNCs) in African countries. India is a member of the BRICS grouping of developing countries, the others being Brazil, China, Russia and South Africa. Therefore, understanding its role, scale and dynamics of internationalising in the African context is particularly important. The following key areas are examined: the historical and socio-economic context, internationalisation strategies of Indian MNCs in African countries, home and host country factors, labour markets in host countries and human resource management (HRM) approaches of selected Indian EMNCs in particular African countries. Most work on international business and international HRM in Africa focuses on the Sino-Africa nexus. Both China and India are members of the BRICS grouping but have followed different trajectories in internationalising in the African context. This analysis helps fill a gap by evaluating the Afro-Indian relationship in business, particularly EMNCs from India. The analysis finds the following abiding themes in the historical connections and relationships of Indian EMNCs: the role of family-owned businesses, human resource development and long-term host country commitment.
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    A survey of South African directors
    (2009-10-01T00:00:00Z) Horwitz, Frank Martin; Kakabadse, Andrew P.; Kakabadse, Nada K.; Myers, Andrew
    As part of an international comparative study conducted by Cranfield School of Management in the United Kingdom, Board members from the Institute of Directors in Johannesburg and Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) data base at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business (GSB) were invited to take part in a survey that explored views on Chairman of the Board, the role and contribution of other Board Directors and other aspects of Board performance. In total 100 questionnaires were completed, providing some useful insights into Board performance within South Afric