Abstract
Against a scenario of an ever-increasing demand for a greater number of managers and supervisors - particularly Black talent - into the Southern African economies. this paper explores the real contribution Achievement Training has been making over the past four years. Specifically its contribution to developing managerial and supervisory talent is explored and its concomitant contribution to alleviate the critical 1:42 manager to worker ratio currently being experienced on this sub-continent.The Nasser Achievement Training Process has its origins in the work of Harvard Professor David McClelland's three-band theory. The development of this process is examined from both a construct and pedagogics point of view for purposes of critically reviewing its nature and impact.A longitudinal analysis of the results of some 2 985 prospective managers/supervisors who were exposed to the Achievement Training process reveals a number of very positive trends. The results indicate significant levels of improvement in performance on-the-job as adjudged by the immediate line managers on 10 work-related managerial supervisory dimensions.What is even more significant is that some 60% of the participants received promotions of between 1 and 4 levels during the observation period - the majority being Black. These results indicate the powerful nature of this Achievement Training process.The author argues that despite the significance of these results, this training process needs to be organic by nature. A restructuring of the contents has been proposed in order to equip even-better the latent managerial talent within the organization. Also the critical role of a well-trained Mentor has come into sharp focus as being a major facilitator in growing this managerial and supervisory talent at the fastest possible pace.
Highlights
One of the most crucial challenges facing the nations of Southern Africa to the 1990s is the need for developing an adequate quantity and quality of managerial and supervisory material - Black material - to run, sustain and grow the business and governmental processes which underpin the economic growth of this sub-continent.That business in South Africa is more than aware of this need is apparent from the visible effort presently being exerted in this direction and is further reflected in the findings of the report on 'The Manpower Analysis for the PWV Area to the Period 1984' UNISA (1980)
What is even more significant is that some 60% of the participants received promotions of between 1 and 4 levels during the observation period - the majority being Black. These results indicate the powerful nature of this Achievement Training process
A careful screening procedure using the Rotter IE Scale - and Ghisellis' SDQ - was utilized in identifying those candidates most likely to benefit from this training process
Summary
One of the most crucial challenges facing the nations of Southern Africa to the 1990s is the need for developing an adequate quantity and quality of managerial and supervisory material - Black material - to run, sustain and grow the business and governmental processes which underpin the economic growth of this sub-continent. It was in looking at these complexities and the accompanying poor track record for developing managers and supervisors - Black managers, - that I became interested in trying to determine what specific solutions could be found for this specific problem. The work of Harvard professor David McClelland became a natural point of focus as the search for a solution continued
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