Affirmative action : a precondition for diversity management

M.Comm.This study aims to gain a better understanding of the spirit in which the various pieces of legislation were promulgated. Whether, at corporate level, and indeed in those offices where diversity policy on a business unit to business unit plane, such "spirit" is understood and passed on to all the role players in the environment. It is only when these issues are firmly grasped that management can formulate the appropriate motivational, implementation, and monitoring strategies that would have the necessary impact on all parties. And also to propose, via a literature study, and the conducting of personal interviews, a means of: Not only recognising, but accepting that work place diversity is a legislative and business imperative in South Africa; Ascertaining if the human resource practitioners have contemplated the drivers for diversity, what awareness or informative programmes have been put in place, and whether there is credible accountability for the management of diversity. Within and in conjunction with corporate policies and guidelines – suggest strategies / approaches / programmes that address the issues surrounding affirmative action, employment equity and ultimately diversity management. The purpose of this being to develop credible motivational, implementation and management accountability strategies