Confrontation and Harmony --- Investigation of Employment Practices - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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May 20, 2023 366 likes •558 views

Working Between Confrontation and Harmony --- Investigation of Employment Practices of Chinese Enterprises in Africa TANG, Xiaoyang Tsinghua University Background Rapid growth of Chinese economic activities in Africa 12000 140000 120000

SLIDE 1

Working Between Confrontation and Harmony

-- Investigation of Employment Practices
f Chinese Enterprises in Africa

TANG, Xiaoyang Tsinghua University

SLIDE 2

Background

 Rapid growth of Chinese economic activities in Africa

2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 20000 40000 60000 80000 100000 120000 140000 FDI stocks Trade

In $ million

Source: MOFCOM of P.R.C.

SLIDE 3

Background

 Areas of Investment

Construction
Energy
Mining
Manufacturing
Telecom
Agriculture
Service

SLIDE 4

Employment

 Topics

Influx of Chinese Workers?
Low Wages?
Poor working conditions?
Hard work?
Disciplines?

SLIDE 5

Influx of Chinese Workers?

 State of Local Employment

Various ratios of local worker by sectors

0.00% 0.00% 10.00% 10.00% 20.00% 20.00% 30.00% 30.00% 40.00% 40.00% 50.00% 50.00% 60.00% 60.00% 70.00% 70.00% 80.00% 80.00% 90.00% 90.00% Local Employment % Local Employment % Agriculture Agriculture Hydropower Hydropower Municipal Municipal Construction Construction Commercial Housing Commercial Housing Telecommunication Telecommunication Catering Catering Trading Trading Manufacturing Manufacturing

Source: The Ministry of Finance of Angola, June 30. 2007

SLIDE 6

No. of

Tenant Com- panies (signed)

No. of

Tenant Com - panies (in

per- ation)

Tenants:

Approx. #
f Chinese

workers Tenants:

Approx. #
f African

Workers Egypt TEDA 49 38 103 1102 Zambia Chambish 36 26 1372 7973 Nigeria Lekki 26 6 50 400 Mauritius Jinfei n/a n/a n/a Nigeria Ogun 34 7 177 1619 Ethiopia Eastern 12 6 300 1600 Source: Field research

SLIDE 7

 a large number of Chinese workers have

come to Africa recently.

Source:MOFCOM

SLIDE 8

 employment of local workers is both

encouraged by governments and motivated by economic calculation (reduce labor costs)

 early reliance on Chinese employees  related to Chinese companies’ labor intensive

business models.

 short term need and long term trend

SLIDE 9

Low Wages?

 No clear unambiguous answer Case study: two Chinese tanneries in Ethiopia

SLIDE 10

 Quick return vs. long term investment  Low wages first and increasing pay incrementally  Chinese perspective vs. African perspective?  Employer perspective vs. employee perspective?

Low Wages?

SLIDE 11

 Investment first and enjoyment later:

“eat bitterness” and African acceptance

Poor working conditions?

SLIDE 12

 Divergent views on working and living

conditions e.g. labor protection and safety issues in mining 3 accidents/week vs. 1 accident/month

SLIDE 13

Hard work?

 stereotypical perception of Chinese work

ethics and African characteristics

“the Chinese do not rest;”

“their work cannot be done by human beings;”

“slow”, “inefficient”,

“backward,” or simply “lazy.”

learn spirit of hard work

SLIDE 14

 Questions

What makes up hard work?

Overtime? Heavy load?

SLIDE 15

Disciplined Organization?

 Punctuality

“Late arrival is delay, early arrival is waste, punctuality is integrity.”

SLIDE 16

 Authority and Paternalism

“100% cooperation, 100% understanding, 100% implementation and 100% obedience”

SLIDE 17

Conclusion



Capitalist Logic

pursuit of profit, and forever renewed profit, by means of

continuous, rational, capitalistic enterprise –Max Weber Industrialization transforms traditional society



Adaptation and Social Integration

capitalism with Chinese characteristics

vs. capitalism with African characteristics

tangxyang@gmail.com