Pan-Pacific Conference XXXIV. Designing New Business Models in Developing Economies

Furthermore the participants expressed their
frustrations when dealing with the reluctance of
managers in executing their labour relations
responsibilities that requires patience and specific
temperamental skills. These views are supported by
Patra [16, p. 3].
Diplomacy
Diplomacy as an approach is often used by the
labour relations practitioners to deal with the
reluctance of management to exercise their labour
relations responsibilities as well as to defuse
conflict situations before it escalate correspond well
with SHRM’s HR Competency Model [4, p. 208].
Assertiveness
The participants provide evidences of situations of
the intimidating environment that labour relations
practitioners find themselves in, which require an
assertive frame of mind, such as the ability to
withstand pressure, a courageous and strong attitude
and a measured personality. The importance of an
assertive frame of mind is supported by theorists [6,
p. 90].
Resilience
In accordance with the views from the Public
Service Commission, the majority of the
participants agree that they function in a stressful
environment, work under pressure with incidences
of victimisation and intimidation that require a calm
and composed approach to deal with these extreme
conditions [18, p. 19].
Self-efficacy
The participants shared experiences where they are
required to rescue conflict situations that require the
ability to maintain determination and to stand their
ground on certain decisions, which is shared by
theorists [22, p. 82].
CONCLUSION
As the labour situation and ever present conflict
intensifies, it will expose the labour relations
practitioner to an intimidating, stressful and
emotionally loaded environment with circumstances
that require patience and specific temperamental
skills, together with the ability to withstand
pressure.
From the pertaining findings and discussions the
importance of emotion management as well as the
challenges that it pose to the labour relations
practitioner has become evident. The analysis of the
emotion management competencies provide a sound
theoretical basis to develop emotion management
specific assessment tools and developmental
interventions aimed at enhancing the management
of emotions in an organisational context from a
labour relations perspective.
REFERENCES
References can be provided upon request.
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