L. J. Van Vuuren

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AS A PROFESSION IN SOUTH AFRICA: PRACTITIONERS' PERSPECTIVES

Many organisations are downsizing their Human Resource (HR) operations due to the perceived lack of credibility of the function as a whole. This study investigates possible reasons for this perceived lack of credibility, and suggests ways in which the Human Resource Management (HRM) function can overcome this challenge. One of these suggestions implies the need to advance the professional status of HRM. The current professional status of HRM, as perceived by South African HR practitioners (N = 398) was evaluated by means of the trait approach to assessing the professional status of an occupation. The results reveal that practitioners do consider HRM to be a profession. However, HRM is still very much in the early stages of achieving true professional status. Other findings and their implications are also discussed. Opsomming Die Menslike hulpbronbestuursfunksie (MHB-funksie) word deur verskeie organisasies gerasionaliseer as gevolg van ’n oenskynlike gebrek aan geloofwaardigheid van die funksie as ’n geheel. In hierdie studie is moontlike redes vir die geloofwaardigheidsprobleem ondersoek en aanbevelings gemaak ten opsigte van wyses waarop die MHB-funksie hierdie uitdaging kan oorkom. Een voorstel impliseer die behoefte om die professionele status van die MHB-funksie te bevorder. Die huidige professionele status van MHB soos gesien vanuit die perspektief van Suid-Afrikaanse MHBpraktisyns (N = 398) is aan die hand van die eienskapgebaseerde metode om die professionele status van ’n beroep te bepaal, geevalueer. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat ofskoon praktisyns MHB as ’n professie beskou, die MHBfunksie steeds in die vroee fase van die strewe na ware professionele status is. Ander bevindinge en implikasies word ook bespreek.