Bachelor of Social Science Honours in Industrial Sociology
Human and Social Studies - Industrial & Organizational Governance and HR Development
Purpose and Rationale
Bachelor of Social Science Honours in Industrial Sociology
Purpose
The Bachelor of Social Science Honours in Industrial Sociology aims to equip learners with the necessary sociological ability to analyze the roles, interests, concerns, and biases of the different actors in the employment relationship. It also helps prepare learners for roles in both the economy and society, contributing to conflict resolution and industrial relations harmony. By achieving these aims, learners will contribute to the growth and stability of the economy and the nation in general.
This qualification empowers learners to:
- Explore discourses and practical issues in employment relations.
- Gain a deeper understanding of the theories, practices, and trends in the South African industrial relations arena.
- Prepare for roles as industrial relations practitioners, researchers, or analysts.
Rationale
Industries and organizations have historically prioritized factors such as human resources and capital. However, the critical importance of well-resourced labor and good labor-management relationships for organizational productivity cannot be ignored. Developing a qualification in industrial sociology (with a focus on industrial relations) is essential to encompass all dynamics in the management-labor relationship nexus, including collective bargaining, dispute resolution, unionism, occupational health and safety, industrial democracy, and strikes.
The qualification aims to equip learners with methodological and ethical competencies to carry out industrial relations functions effectively as organizations evolve. Stephen W Rooke emphasizes that competence in industrial relations requires not only knowledge but also a genuine interest in people and their motivations.
Industrial relations are crucial on both enterprise and national levels, as they focus on managing complex relationships between different actors involved in an organization's productive processes. The stakeholders in industrial relations, such as employers' organizations, union collectives, and the government, have varying goals that can lead to tense relationships. Practitioners with deep knowledge identify gaps in these relationships and develop strategies that promote harmony.
Target Audience and Benefits
The qualification is suitable for individuals seeking careers or advancement in industrial relations, human resource management, training, organizational development, analysis, or planning. Learners can apply their skills to promote sound organizational industrial relations, contributing to organizational productivity and satisfied workers. The program is designed to support further studies at the postgraduate level and career advancement in industrial relations consultancy, unionism, and human resources management in various sectors.
Through this qualification, learners can play a vital role in fostering industrial harmony and contributing to the economic development of the country.
Outcomes
- Demonstrate competence in the subject matter of industrial relations, including its constitutional basis and theoretical orientations.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the "environment" of industrial relations and the changes taking place in South Africa.
- Analyse and discuss the reality and myth of employee participation in workplace decision-making.
- Demonstrate an understanding of public sector industrial relations and how it differs from private sector industrial relations.
- Gain the knowledge of collective bargaining processes and the factors that facilitate or hinder good collective bargaining in organisations.
- Show an understanding of industrial conflict and strikes in organisations.
- Display competence in understanding labour conflict resolution processes in South Africa.
- Demonstrate an understanding of trade unionism, the role, structure and internal politics of trade unionism in South Africa.
- Discuss remuneration system in organisations and demonstrate good understanding of pay disparity among workers and genders in South Africa.
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
- Define industrial relations (IR), describe the levels of IR, and the differences between IR and Human Resource Management (HRM).
- Discuss the legal and constitutional basis for industrial relations in South Africa.
- Describe key propositions and critiques of various industrial relations theories and their applicability to the South African industrial relations context.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
- Present on how contemporary forces such as globalisation, technology, market forces, political factors, and the "changing nature of work" impact industrial relations.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
- Become familiar with the key debates on employee participation in organizational governance.
- Show the channels available to workers to influence workplace decision-making.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of these channels.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
- Discuss the main features of public sector and private sector industrial relations.
- Highlight reasons behind cynicism against public sector unionism in South Africa and internationally.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
- Identify and discuss the structures and functions of collective bargaining.
- Discuss the shortcomings of collective bargaining processes.
- Identify factors that enhance or impede collective bargaining.
- Discuss the role of collective bargaining in dispute resolution.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:
- Outline and discuss theoretical explanations for the frequency, extent, and variations in strike activities.
- Apply the agitator theory.
- Differentiate between protected and unprotected strikes.
- Differentiate between strikes and industrial conflict.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7:
- Discuss the institutions of labor dispute resolution in post-1994 South Africa.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the CCMA as a dispute resolution mechanism in post-1994 industrial relations in South Africa.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8:
- Discuss the growing phenomenon of casualization, internships, and other forms of precarious/flexible employment in relation to the weakening of trade unions in South Africa.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 9:
- Outline and discuss the pay disparity debate with emphasis on its role in industrial conflict.
Integrated Assessment:
Formative:
- Oral question-and-answer sessions in class to assess prior knowledge.
Summative:
- Short seminar papers.
- Seminar presentations.
- Class test.
- Final examination.
- Research project supervised by internal and external examiners (30 Credit units out of a total of 134 Credit units).
This breakdown provides a structured approach to assessing the various exit level outcomes in the industrial relations qualification.
Qualification Details
- Type
- Honours Degree
- NQF Level
- 08
- Min. Credits
- 120
- SAQA Source
- More Information
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