Employee resourcing strategies in local authorities in Zimbabwe: Contestations and fortuity.
Keywords:
employee resourcing , local authorities, strategic employee resourcing, local governmentAbstract
The study assesses the contribution of employee resourcing strategies to effective local government systems in Zimbabwe. The study adopted a mixed methods methodology. More succinctly, it followed an exploratory sequential mixed method methodology underpinned by pragmatism. The study was conducted on local authorities in Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe. Quantitative data was collected first using questionnaire surveys and was analysed using SPSS. The results of the quantitative data were then used to develop questions for the qualitative data. Focus group discussions (FGDs), interviews, and content analysis were used to collect the qualitative data. A total of 200 questionnaires were issued, and 77 were returned, giving a return response rate of 39%. Questionnaires were analysed using SPSS whilst data collected through interviews, FGDs, and primary sources was analysed using thematic analysis. The study confirmed the existence of people resourcing strategies in local authorities. There was, however, a dearth of resources to fully actualise the people resourcing strategies. In addition, the study found out that local authorities were ‘theatres’ for national politics, and hence, this militated against the successful implementation of people resourcing strategies. There was evidence of excessive intervention in the day-to-day operations of local authorities by both the government officials and the Minister of Local Government, Public Works, and National Housing. The study recommended that appointments in local authorities be based on merit. The government should set aside at least 5 % of its budget for local authorities to enable them to have a sound financial base to fund resourcing strategies among others.
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