Equity in employment in selected countries

This article outlines the challenge of employment equity/affirmative action (EE/AA) posed by management of diverse workforces in an era of globalisation and global competition. It examines the experiences of six selected countries that have EE/AA policies: Canada, India, Malaysia, South Africa, the United States, and Britain (and Northern Ireland). The article also provides an employment equity index and looks at 'best practices' relating to EE/AA programmes based on the experiences of these six countries. In the last section, the article examines the lessons to be drawn from the success or failure of these policies and whether such policies can be a source of competitive advantage in the global economy.