CHAPTER 3: LITERATURE REVIEW 27
3.8 Past Research
results through capabilities has resulted in new Human Resource practices and tools that have developed in response to cultural and technological changes - replacing paperwork with automation, as well as the effect of
'global Human Resources' .
This new role of Human Resources requires both a change from the Human Resource practitioners as well as from senior management. Human Resource practitioners need to change the way they think and behave but senior management also needs to change the way they see Human Resources and how they behave towards them. Senior management needs to show that they support Human Resources and believe that it is a critical part of the
functioning of the organisation. They need to be willing to invest both in new Human
Resource practices and staff in order to ensure that the people have the skills to effect real
change in the organisation. This approach is vital so that Human Resource practitioners will
act with confidence; can deliver results and achieve their full potential. (Ulrich,1998)
3.8.1 Gillian Godsell- CSIR Special Report (1983)
"Work Value Differences in South African Organisation: A study and some conclusions"
This exploratory study conducted by Gillian Godsell (1983) who, at the time, was a member of the Human Development Division ofthe CSIR, considers the issue of different work values that exist in South African organisations which may lead to conflict in organisations.
This ties in with the competing values approach which forms part of the theoretical basis for the present study. Through the use of research methods such as open ended questions and group discussions, subjects were given the opportunity in this study to examine and clarify their own values.
Value differences are especially important in South Africa because of the vast differences that exist in cultures, social classes, religions, political opinions, occupations etc. These all produce underlying values and value systems. The influence of class, race, nationality and culture on values has been well researched and documented and Godsell (1983) may have used these past studies to provide a basis for her own research. Her study, however, looks at differences in work values in South African organisations with an emphasis on senior employees because values at these levels are expected to have the most important impact on the organisation. Individuals at these levels have also more than likely experienced major Westernising influences such as urbanisation and education, and "value differences which have withstood these influences are likely to be particularly important" (Godsell, 1983: 6).
Godsell's study (1983) suggests that a consideration of these value differences, and an
identification of possible areas of value conflict and compromise, will help to understand how disadvantaged groups, such as blacks and women, are incorporated at a managerial level;
how values can be used towards organisational change and to provide culturally compatible solutions to organisational problems.
In analysing the results of the research, Godsell (1983) concludes that to ensure the successful implementation of what she calls 'culturally synergistic strategies' in an
organisation, you need enough difference in the values within an organisation to make the incorporation of different values worthwhile coupled with some similarity to ensure that some consensus is possible. An important result of the study is that while value differences are almost always seen as black vs white, this study found that value differences between male and female were also dominant. Linked to this, Godsell (1983: 114) found that there should be "an awareness that any grouping within an organisation which has undergone significantly different socialisation experiences to the dominant grouping, could potentially
make a unique contribution based on unique values, and could also experience particular problems of assimilation and perfonnance, due to value differences."
The study goes on to emphasise the need for further research in this area and to extend this to looking at how value differences develop from people's socialisation experiences. Godsell (1983) also identifies that the same research should be conducted on a larger sample so as to accurately generalise about South African work values and that future research should be of practical benefit to Human Resource management.
This past research by Gillian Godsell (1983) gives insight into the issue of values in the South African workplace and has an important impact on one of the areas of research in the present study. The present study goes beyond values to also consider the nature of the Human
Resource policy decision making process and the influence of Human Resource practitioners and their different values, opinions and beliefs that impact on this process. Godsell's work also looks at what influences individuals' values which is one of the areas which the present study also focuses on. She also identifies the fact that even though people differ in their values, they can still make unique contributions. This may need to be considered in the present study where workers, who possibly share different values to the Human Resource practitioners that develop the policies, are often not involved in the policy development process even though they may have much to contribute. She also found that it is important to find solutions that balance conflicting values in the organisation. Finally, the present study goes beyond Godsell's research (1983) through considering these issues not only within South African organisations, but also within first world organisations in the United Kingdom.
3.8.2 Lynn Ribton-Turner - Unpublished Masters Thesis (1995)
"An exploratory study of the related perceptions, values and attitudes of Human Resource
Managers in the New South Africa: A focus on' organisational climate and productivity I I
An important comparison between Ribton-Turner's study and the current research is that they both focus on Human Resource managers/ practitioners and their values, attitudes and
perceptions. However, whilst the current study considers this in light of the development of Human Resource policies and practices and how the values, beliefs and attitudes of Human Resource practitioners impact on this, Ribton-Turner's study (1995) explores the perceptions and attitudes of Human Resource managers to detennine the type of organisational climate they believe will increase productivity and promote workplace identity. Her research found that the dominant Anglo-Saxon culture, still present in many South African organisations,
was viewed as being counter-productive in terms of human relationships. The need was identified for it to be adapted and integrated with African values and traditions. It was also found that to address the issue of productivity, organisations need to look both at the culture of the organisation as well as the material interests of employees. Workers need to be
encouraged through more disclosure of information and business education to understand the competitive nature of business and, therefore, work to improve productivity.
The main objective of this research was to investigate the perceptions, values and attitudes of Human Resource managers to their organisational climates. The current study also seeks to identify the values and assumptions of Human Resource practitioners but here it is to identify how these may be carried through to the development of Human Resource policies and practices which influence the entire workforce. Ribton-Turner's research (1995) provides a context for the current research where the Anglo-Saxon culture may still be carried through by predominantly white male top management and Human Resource practitioners to the Human Resource policies and practices. She has already shown this to be a negative
influence on human relationships within the organisation and this needs to be considered in light of the current research study. The study will need to build on this past research by considering how the approach by Human Resource practitioners to policies and practices may have an effect on organisational productivity and effectiveness in the future.
3.8.3 Bruce Hiddleston - Unpublished Master Thesis (1976)
"Risky Decision Making and Personality"
This study, although it does not look at the Human Resource policy decision making process specifically, considers how an individual's personality, including attitudes, beliefs, opinions and values, influences the way they approach decision making. Researchers have found that there may be an influence of personality variables on decision making behaviour. This study specifically focuses on the process of making risky decisions. Hiddleston's study, however, failed to find a meaningful relationship between the two elements of personality and risky decision making. His results were inconclusive and provided only a weak association between personality variables and risky decision making.
These results could, however, have been as a result of the small size of the sample as well as the fact that the data may have been unreliable because subjects were relatively young students and naIve in terms of decision making. Had there not been these limitations, the study may have gained less ambiguous results. However, the results are consistent with
previous research and, therefore, it may be that the relationship between personality and risky decision making just is weak.
Although the current research does not focus on risky decision making, it can, however, build on Hiddleston's research (1976) by considering the impact of personality variables(values, attitudes and beliefs) of individuals such as Human Resource practitioners on the Human Resource policy decision making process.