An integrated return on investment framework for human resource development in the South African Higher education sector

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop an integrated return on investment (ROI) framework for human resource development (HRD) interventions provided to academic staff in South African public universities. This study was conducted from an interpretivist philosophical position and was qualitative in nature. Purposive and snowballing sampling strategies were used to select the participants. Primary data was collected from 14 participants who were interviewed, representing six universities, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), and the Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority (ETDPSETA). In addition, secondary data was collected from documents. Thematic analysis and document analysis were conducted to analyse the interviews and secondary data, respectively. The identified four themes included the following: training and development interventions (Theme 1); management of training and development interventions (Theme 2); support for training and development interventions (Theme 3); and measuring ROI (Theme 4). This study found that South African public universities measured the impact of the HRD interventions provided to academic staff through vii the first three levels, namely reaction, learning and behaviour. Another key finding was that universities hardly measured the results and ROI. However, certain aspects of the ROI methodology were measured, including the determination of training costs, financial benefits and non-financial benefits of interventions. Furthermore, this study found that government institutions did not measure ROI for training and development interventions provided to academic staff in South African public universities, as universities were expected to evaluate the impact of their own interventions. However, universities were required to achieve various objectives and targets set by relevant government institutions. This study contributed an integrated ROI framework for HRD interventions provided to academic staff in South African public universities. Subsequently, the study provides recommendations for practice and future studies.

Xikongomelo xa ndzavisiso lowu a ku ri ku hluvukisa rimba ra mbuyelo wa vuvekisi ku nga return on investment (ROI) eka vungheneri bya vufambisi bya nhluvukiso wa vanhu ku nga human resource management development (HRD) leswi nyiketiwaka eka xitafu xa tiyunivhesiti ta hinkwavo ta Afrika Dzonga. Ndzavisiso lowu wu endliwe hi ku landza xiyimo xa interpretivist philosophical position na swona a wu ri wa qualitative hi muxaka wa wona. Ku tirhisiwe maqhinga ya sampuli ya snowballing ku hlawula vakhomaxiavo. Primary data yi hlengeletiwe eka vakhomaxiavo va 14 lava va nga inthavhyuwiwa, lava yimeleke tiyunivhesiti ta ntsenvu, va Ndzhawulo ya Dyondzo ya le Henhla na Vuleteri ku nga Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) na Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) na va Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority (ETDPSETA). Na le henhla ka sweswo, secondary data yi hlengeletiwe hi tidokumende. Nxopaxopo wa thematic na nxopanxopo wa tidokumende wu endliwe hi ku xopaxopa tiinthavhyu na secondary data hi ku landzelelana. Tinhlokomhaka ta mune ti katse leswi landzelaka: vuleteri na vungheneri bya nhluvuko (Theme 1); management of training and development interventions (Theme 2); support for training and development interventions (Theme 3); and measuring ix ROI (Theme 4). Leswi kumekeke swi kombise leswo tiyunivhesiti leti nga kamberiwa na switandzhaku swa vungheneri bya vuleteri na nhluvukiso hi ku tirhisa tilevhele ta mune, ku nga, vuanguri, ku dyondza, matikhomelo na vuyelo. Tiyunivhesiti a ti amukeri methodoloji wa ROI ku pima switandzhaku na vuyelo bya vungheneri bya vuleteri na nhluvuko. Kambe swiyenge swo karhi swa methodoloji ya ROI swi pimiwile, ku katsa ku vona timali ta tihakelo ta vuleteri, mimbuyelo ya swa timali na mimbuyelo ya vungheneri byo ka byi nga ri bya swa timali. Tiinstituxini ta mfumo a ti pimangi ROI eka vungheneri bya vuleteri na nhluvuko lebyi byi nyiketiweke xitafu xa akhademiki xa Afrika Dzonga, hikuva tiyunivhesiti a ti rindzeriwe leswo ti kambela vuyelo bya vungheneri bya tona. Kambe tiyunivhesiti a ku laveka leswo ti fikelela swikongomelo na tithagete to hlayanyana. Ndzavisiso wu nghenise voko eka rimba ra ROI leri hlanganeke eka vungheneri bya HRD lebyi byi nyiketiwaka xitafu xa akhademiki eka tiyunivhesiti ta hinkwavo ta Afrika Dzonga. Endzhaku ka sweswo, rhiseche yi nyiketa swibumabumelo swa maendlelo na mindzavisiso ya ka mundzuku.

Ndivho ya ngudo heyi ndi u bveledza furemiweke ya mbuelo ya vhubindudzi ho ṱanganelaho (ROI) ya u dzhenelela ha mveledziso ya vhashumi (HRD) yo ṋetshedzwaho vhashumi vha akademi kha yunivesithi dza nnyi na nnyi dza Afrika Tshipembe. Ngudo heyi yo itwa u bva kha nḓila ine vhathu vha tshenzhela ngayo matshilisano a ḽifhasi yo dovha ya vha ya khwaḽithethivi. Zwiṱirathedzhi zwa tsumbonanguludzwa dzo sedzaho kha zwiṱaluli zwine zwa ṱoḓiwa na zwine mudzheneli wa ṱhoḓisiso a livhisa kha muṅwe zwo shumiswa u nanga vhadzheneli. Data yo bveledzwaho nga muṱoḓisisi yo kuvhanganywa u bva kha vhadzheneli vha 14 vhe vha inthaviwu, vho imelelaho yunivesithi dza rathi, Muhasho wa Pfunzo ya nṱha na Vhugudisi (DHET), Muhasho wa Saintsi na Vhubveledzi (DSI), na Pfunzo ya Sekithara ya Maitele a Pfunzo Vhugudisi na Mveledziso na Maanḓalanga a Vhugudisi (ETDPSETA). U ḓadzisa kha zwenezwo, data i bvaho kha zwiṅwe zwiko yo kuvhanganywaho u bva maṅwalwa. Kuitele kwa u saukanya data ya khwaḽithethivi kwo itwa u saukanya inthaviwu na data i bvaho kha zwiko nga u tevhekana. Thero nṋa dze dza topolwa dzi katela zwi tevhelaho: u dzhenelela na vhugudisi na mveledziso (Thero 1); ndangulo ya u dzhenelela ha vhugudisi na mveledziso (Thero 2); thikhedzo ya u dzhenelela na mveledziso (Thero 3); na u ela ROI (Thero 4); na xi mveledziso. Mawanwa o wanulusa uri yunivesithi dzo linga mveledzwa dza u dzhenelela ha vhugudisi na mveledziso nga kha ḽevele dza u thoma nṋa, dzine dza vha tshiitei, ngudo, kuḓifarele na mvelelo. Yunivesithi a dzo ngo themendela ngona ya ROI u ela mveledzwa dza u dzhenelela ha vhugudisi na mveledziso. Naho zwo ralo, zwiṅwe zwiteṅwa zwa ngona ya ROI zwo elwa’ hu tshi katelwa u ta mitengo ya vhugudisi, u dzhenelela ha mbuelo dza masheleni na mbuelo dzi si dza masheleni. Zwiimiswa zwa muvhuso a zwo ngo ela ROI kha u dzhenelela ha vhugudisi na mveledziso ho ṋetshedzwaho vhashumi vha akademi kha yunivesithi dza nnyi na nnyi Afrika Tshipembe, sa musi yunivesithi dzo vha dzi tshi khou lavhelelwa u linga mveledzwa dza u dzhenelela hadzo. Naho zwo ralo, yunivesithi tho ṱoḓea u swikelela zwivhalo na zwipikwa zwo fhambanaho. Ngudo yo shela mulenzhe kha furemiweke yo ṱanganelaho ya ROI kha u dzhenelela ha HRD ho ṋetshedzwaho vhashumi vha akademi kha yunivesithi dza nnyi na nnyi dza Afrika Tshipembe. Nga murahu ṱhoḓisiso yo ṋetshedza themendelo kha ngudo dza nyito dza tshifhingani tshiḓaho.