The meaning of working in black and white managerial samples with specific reference to sense of entitlement

Abstract

Wealth distribution and wealth creation are probably the most important challenges to be faced by South African government. At the organisational level, it will be required of each employee to accept responsibility for contributing to organisational success. The formation of multi-cultural work teams gives relevance to the study of meaning of work and specifically, to the sense of entitlement as a manifestation of a need for equity. In this study it was found that black managers experience a stronger sense of entitlement than their white colleagues/ which is ascribed to deprivation in the past. Although affirmative action could be implemented as a compensatory measure, the caveats involved make it imperative to consider other alternatives. Hence, it is proposed that management systems should be redesigned to promote egalitarianism in the workplace.

Opsomming
Die verdeling en skepping van welvaart is waarskynlik die belangrikste uitdagings wat die Suid-Afrikaanse regering die hoof moet bied. Op ondernemingsvlak sal daar dus van eike werknemer verwag word om verantwoordelikheid vir 'n betekenisvolle bydrae tot organisasie-sukses te aanvaar. Die vorming van multi-kulturele groepe skep relevansie vir die bestudering van die betekenis van werk, en spesifiek die sin vir geregtigdheid,1 as 'n manifestasie van 'n behoefte aan billikheid. In hierdie studie is daar gevind dat swart bestuurders 'n sterker sin vir geregtigdheid as hulle wit kollegas ervaar. Dit word aan deprivasie in die verlede toegeskryf. Ofskoon regstellende aksie as 'n kompenserende maatreel geimplementeer sou kon word, skep die leemtes hieraan verbonde 'n behoefte aan oorweging van alternatiewe moontlikhede. Daar word derhalwe aanbeveel dat bestuurstelsels herontwerp word om gelykheid in die werkpiek te bevorder.