An Integrative Model for Analysing Approaches to Employment Relations in Southern Africa

Abstract

Employment relations in Southern Africa are shaped by complex political, socioeconomic, historical, and cultural factors. Although prevailing Western theoretical frameworks dominate the literature on this subject, they often neglect to incorporate indigenous African perspectives. This oversight limits an understanding of the multifaceted nature of employment relations within the Southern African context. Thus, the objective of this study is to address this gap by proposing an integrative model for analysing various approaches to employment relations in Southern Africa. The study was grounded in two compelling theories: systems theory and postmodernist theory. It employed an integrative literature review method, guided by specific inclusion and exclusion criteria that selected the most appropriate articles in accordance with the PRISMA protocol. The inclusion criteria for the literature search involved developing a search strategy and conducting searches across five databases: SciSpace, Sage, ScienceDirect, Sabinet, and Google Scholar. Additionally, open-access articles published before 2019 or after 2025, as well as non-English articles in peer-reviewed journals, were excluded from the analysis. The analysis confirmed the five themes from existing frameworks and further revealed the indigenous perspective, influenced by the philosophy of Ubuntu and Africanisation as a sixth approach. These themes informed the development of an integrative model that combines established approaches with an emerging indigenous perspective. The developed model enhances existing theoretical frameworks by offering a contextually relevant instrument for analysing employment relations in the Southern African context. It contributes significant insights for both scholars and practitioners seeking to promote inclusive and harmonious employment practices in the region.