Article contents
Testing for Aptitude and Motivation in South African Industry: The Work of the National Institute for Personnel Research, 1946–1973
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 December 2011
Abstract
The South African state maintained vigorous repressive legislation to destroy trade union activity among African workers after World War II. The genesis of industrial psychology, personnel research and personnel management is examined in this context. In particular, the article reveals tension between the recommendations of the National Institute for Personnel Research and the imperatives of apartheid.
- Type
- Articles
- Information
- Copyright
- Copyright © The President and Fellows of Harvard College 1996
References
1 Murray, Charles and Herrnstein, Richard, The Bell Curve (New York, 1994)Google Scholar.
2 Dubow, Saul, Scientific Racism in Modern South Africa (Cambridge, U.K., 1995), 285Google Scholar.
3 Kemp, T., Historical Patterns of Industrialisation (London, 1993), 187Google Scholar. Knight, J. B., “A Comparative Analysis of South Africa as a Semi-Industrialised Developing Country,” Journal of Modem African Studies 26 (1988): 476CrossRefGoogle Scholar.
4 Employment in private manufacturing rose from 262,000 to 609,000 blacks (132%), and from 155,000 to 278,000 whites, (85%).
5 “The Native In Industry,” Jan. 1951, Records of the Cape Chamber of Industries, FCI. Archive Koom, University of Cape Town Library.
6 The extent to which these influx controls impinged upon the labor requirements of urban industry is discussed in Coupe, Stuart, “Industry, Influx Control and Separate Development in South Africa, with Particular Respect to Johannesburg, 1952–1968,” Social Dynamics 20 (1994)CrossRefGoogle Scholar.
7 Industry and Trade (Jan. 1956): 35.
8 The UP depended financially upon Ernest Oppenheimer, the Chairman of the largest and wealthiest mining house, the Anglo American Corporation, which incorporated the diamond producer, de Beers. The UP attitude towards Africans could broadly be characterised as paternalistic. It revolved around the notion that “white civilisation” was the progressive force in South African history, and that Africans were starting from an inferior level of social organisation, if not mental capacity. But in crucial distinction from the Afrikaner Nationalists, the United Party, (which did include some Afrikaners from the professional classes including the war leader Gerneral Jan Smuts, who died in 1950), did not perceive the economic and social advance of Africans as a threat to, but rather a confirmation of the values of white civilisation.
9 W. Hudson, “The Notion of Communication with Bantu Workers,” South African Institute of Personnel Management Journal (Jan. 1964), quoted in Bozzoli, Belinda, “Managerialism and the Mode of Production in South Africa,” South African Labor Bulletin 3 (1977): 39Google Scholar.
10 Africa X-Ray Report (March 1956): 6.
11 Industry and Trade (March 1955): 27.
12 “Manpower,” Pamphlet Collection, South African Institute of Race Relations Library, Johannesburg (hereafter SAIRR). G. S. Burdett, M.D., Somerset West Engineering Ltd., “Productivity Techniques in the South African Situation” (address to NMDF Conference on the Effective Utilization of Labour, April 1972).
13 “The NIPR, 1946–61,” Psychologia Africana 9 (1962): 14Google Scholar.
14 Dr. Simon Biesheuvel, interview by author, 15 Feb. 1990.
15 Arthur Umlaw, interview by author, 23 Nov. 1989.
16 Ben Mokoatle, interview by author, 21 Dec. 1989.
17 Mauer, K. F., “Differences in Classificatory Test Performance by Bantu Mineworkers,” Psychologia Africana, 15 (1974): 89–100Google Scholar.
18 Jacobs, G. F., “Testing Native Aptitudes for the Mining Industry,” Optima 7 (1957): 77Google Scholar.
19 Rodseth, Frank, Native Affairs Consultant, Anglo-American Corporation, “The Flow of Labour to South African Mines,” Optima 9 (1959)Google Scholar.
20 Telex Johannesburg-London, 31 March 1960, box 30, ‘African Mine Labor’, file 2, Records of Central Mining and Investment Corporation, Rhodes House, Bodleian Library, Oxford (henceforth CMIC).
21 Y. Glass, Mining as an Occupational Choice (Confidential Report for the Anglo-American Corporation, G.14, NIPR 14-1961).
22 Race Relations News (June 1962).
23 Barret, A. L., “The Character of the African,” Optima 3 (1953): 13Google Scholar.
24 “European Workers, CONFIDENTIAL,” 23 Sept. 1955, box 32, CMIC.
25 Biesheuvel, S., “The Human Resources of the RSA and their Development” (Lecture Six, The Republic in a Changing World, University of the Witwatersrand, 1963), 14Google Scholar.
26 Umlaw, interview.
27 J. S. Ford, “Underground Management with Particular Reference to a Witwatersrand Gold Mine,” Association of Mine Managers of the Transvaal, Papers and Discussions, 2942-45 2 (Transvaal Chamber of Mines, 1948), quoted in Bozzoli, “Managerialism and the Mode of Production,” 18.
28 Cable Johannesburg-London, re: Blyvooruitzicht Gold Mining Co., 11 April and 17 May 1957, box 30, file 6, CMIC.
29 Group Board Meetings, Corner House Companies, re: Harmony Gold Co., Ltd., 24 Jan. 1958, box 30, file 6, CMIC.
30 Robinson, V. C., Advisor, Labor, Chamber of Mines, “The Basis of Industrial Peace in South African Goldmining,” Optima 11 (1961)Google Scholar.
31 Sitas, Ari, “Rebels without a Pause, the MWU and the Defence of the Colour Bar,” South African Labour Bulletin 5 (1979): 30–59Google Scholar.
32 H. G. M. Rose, Union Corporation, General Manager, Winkelhaak Mine, “A Stoping Productivity Programme Instituted at Winkelhaak Mines Ltd.,” Association of Mine Managers of South Africa, Papers and Discussions (Chamber of Mines, 1972).
33 Rand Daily Mail, 27 Aug. 1970.
34 A Survey of Managerial Attitudes to Safety and Accident Prevention in the Gold Mining Industry (CSIR/NIPR C/Pers 207, Oct. 1972)Google Scholar.
35 Y. Glass et al., “Absenteeism and Labor Turnover in Africa,” Inter-Africa Labour Conference Project No. 5, Commission for Technical Co-operation in Africa South of the Sahara. CSIR/NIPR Preliminary Study, The Black Worker, A Social-Psychological Study (1960), 48-50.
36 Proceedings of NMDF Conference on Effective Utilisation of Labor, April 1972, SAIRR, 124-128.
37 Biesheuvel, interview.
38 University of Natal, Department of Economics, The African Factory Worker, A Sample Study of the Life and Labor of the Urban African Factory Worker (Oxford, 1950)Google Scholar. Compiled with the help of the Durban Economic Research Committee, reorganized in 1945 to represent Durban Chamber of Commerce, Natal Chamber of Industries, Natal Coal Owners Society and the South African Sugar Association.
39 Hemson, David, “Dockworkers, Labor Circulation and Class Struggle in Durban, 1940 to 1959,” Journal of Southern African Studies 4 (1977): 101Google Scholar.
40 “Manpower”; Stanton, E. W., Industrial Engineer, “Native Labour on Repetitive Work,” unpublished paper, 1949Google Scholar.
41 Biesheuvel, interview.
42 F. A. Verwey, Applied Social Psychology Division, Wage Schemes in South African Industry (NIPR, No. 1018, 1959). Financial Mail, 1 Nov. 1963.
43 Department of Labour, Report of the Industrial Tribunal Investigation into Wage Incentives in South Africa (Pretoria, 1960), 40Google Scholar.
44 Biesheuvel, Mokoatle and an ex-employee of the NIPR who wished to remain anonymous, interviews, 11 Oct. 1989.
45 Biesheuvel, S., “The Effects of Cultural Factors on Intelligence Test Performance,” Journal of the NIPR 8 (1959): 12Google Scholar.
46 Dr. H. P. Langenhoven, Acting Assistant Director, National Bureau of Educational and Social Research, Department of Education, Arts and Sciences, “A Note on ‘The Effects of Cultural Factors on Intelligence-Test Performance,’” Journal of the NIPR 8 (1960): 154Google Scholar.
47 Address by C. G. Corbett, Director, Minutes of Annual General Meeting, Bantu Wages and Productivity Association, Johannesburg Municipal Library, 1966.
48 Biesheuvel, S., “The Occupational Abilities of Africans,” Optima 1 (1952): 22Google Scholar.
49 L. Douwes Dekker, African Affairs Committee, TUCSA and S. Biesheuvel, Personnel Director, S. A. Breweries, 9 Nov. 1967, 30 Nov. 1967, and 19 March 1968, Ab42.2, Records of TUCSA, Church of the Province of South Africa Archive Room, William Cullen Library, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
50 Robert Kraft, “Analysis of Work Done by African Affairs Committee in the Last Three Years” (31 Oct. 1966), Dac3.6.8, Records of the Garment Workers Union of South Africa, Church of the Province of South Africa Archive Room, William Cullen Library, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
51 Memorandum by Prof. W. Backer, Head of Industrial Psychology, “The Non-White Personnel Officer in South Africa,” 1970, Pamphlet Collection, NIPR Library, University of Fort Hare.
52 Race Relations News (Feb. 1964). Report of a speech by Mr. B. J. Mnyanda, training officer for “a major Port Elizabeth industrial organisation.”
53 J. Magwaza, Bantu Personnel Officer, Ropes and Mattings, Durban, quoted in Business South Africa (Jan. 1969): 52.
54 M. Matsheke, Bantu Training Officer, NMDF, “Problems of Communication Between the Races,” National Management and Development Foundation Seminar, March 1972, Pamplets Collection, NIPR Library.
55 Umlaw, interview.
56 Mokoatle, interview.
57 Mr. Colin Hall, Managing Director, Wooltrue, former Director of South African Breweries, interview, 19 Feb. 1990.
58 FCI Viewpoint (Sept. 1972).
59 Dekker, L. Douwes, “The Development of Industrial Relations Policies by South African Companies, 1973-1977” (M.A. thesis, University of the Witwatersrand, 1981), 141Google Scholar.
60 Hall, interview.
61 Hutt, W. H., The Economics of the Colour Bar, (London, 1964), 103Google Scholar. Nattrass, Nicoli, “Controversies about Capitalism and Apartheid in South Africa, an Economic Perspective,” Journal of Smithern African Studies 17 (1991Google Scholar), provides a detailed historio-graphical review.
62 Webster, Eddie, “Servants of Apartheid, A Survey of Social Research into Industry in South Africa” in Rex, J., ed. Apartheid and Social Research (Paris, 1981), 103.Google Scholar The title is an allusion to Baritz, Loren, The Servants of Power, A History of the Use of Social Science in American Industry, (Middletown, Conn., 1960)CrossRefGoogle Scholar.
63 Dubow, Scientific Racism, 242.
64 Gillespie, Richard, Manufacturing Knowledge, A History of the Hawthorne Experiments (Cambridge, UK, 1991), 227Google Scholar.
- 3
- Cited by