ABSTRACT
This chapter explores human resource management (HRM) practices applied by small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in a group of emerging economies in Africa. It focuses on South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria and Algeria. South Africa’s apartheid regime influenced employment practices and HRM in general. The Ghanaian SME sector consists of individual companies with self-employed persons who sometimes have unpaid family members assisting them, or trainees/apprentices who want to learn the job. The growth and development of HRM in Nigeria, as elsewhere in Sub-Saharan Africa, has undergone significant changes. HRM seems to be more strategic in SMEs and especially in companies related to sectors such as oil, banking and consulting. HRM in Algeria is similar to many other emerging economies, but it has distinctive characteristics when considered in relation to other countries. A large number of French teachers and technical assistants continued to work in Algeria following its independence, and many Algerians still go to France to obtain further and higher education.
