Nepotistic ambivalence: can nepotism have a positive impact on organisations?

Abstract

Orientation: Nepotism is traditionally perceived as a harmful organisational practice, yet it remains widespread, especially in family-owned businesses, raising the question of whether it can generate positive outcomes under certain conditions. Research purpose: This study explored employees’ experiences, behaviours, and attitudes toward nepotism, examining how these are shaped by the perceived opportunity to benefit from nepotism. Motivation for the study: Contradictions in the existing literature suggest nepotism can yield both positive and negative outcomes, but limited empirical research has investigated employees’ lived experiences of nepotism in the South African context. This study aimed to address this gap and provide insight into the conditions under which nepotism may be perceived as beneficial or detrimental. Research design, approach, and method: A qualitative methodology employing hermeneutic phenomenology was used to capture lived experiences and meanings. Semi-structured v interviews were conducted with eight participants from the metals manufacturing sector in Gauteng, South Africa, with data analysed using thematic analysis. Main findings: Five key themes emerged: (1) perceived favouritism and fairness concerns; (2) effects on team dynamics and morale; (3) competence and performance outcomes; (4) family loyalty and trust; and (5) contextual ambivalence and conditional acceptance. Findings highlight that nepotism is not universally understood as negative; its acceptance depends on factors such as context, perceived fairness, transparency, and competence of family appointees. Practical or managerial implications: The findings suggest that nepotism, when managed consistently and transparently, can foster loyalty, trust, and continuity. However, poorly managed nepotism erodes fairness perceptions, diminishes morale, and disrupts team cohesion. Leaders and HR practitioners ought to implement clear, fair, and auditable recruitment policies that can assist in mitigating risk, while leveraging potential benefits. Contributions: The study contributes to organisational psychology by introducing the concept of nepotistic ambivalence—employees’ simultaneous recognition of both the benefits and harms of nepotism. It advances theory by linking these perceptions to equity theory and social exchange theory, and provides practical guidance for managing nepotism in ways that minimise unfairness and enhance organisational outcomes

Uhlelo lokwaziswa: Ukukhethana ngobulili kubhekwa njengomkhuba olimazayo ezinhlanganweni, nokho kusenjalo, ikakhulukazi emabhizinisini aphethwe yimindeni, ukuphakamisa umbuzo wokuthi ingabe ingaveza imiphumela emihle ngaphansi kwezimo ezithile. Inhloso yocwaningo: Lolucwaningo luhlole ulwazi lwabasebenzi, ngokuziphatha okuhlobene, kanye nezimo zengqondo maqondana nokukhetha izihlobo, ukuhlola indlela lezi ezibunjwa ngayo, ithuba elibonakalayo lokuzuza kuzo. Ukuzuza kocwaningo: Ukungqubuzana okukhona emibhalweni ekhona kuveza ukuthi ukukhetha izinhlobo kungaholela emiphumeleni emihle kanye nemibi, kodwa ucwaningo olulinganiselwe emibonweni luye lwahlola okuhlangene nakho kwabasebenzi kokukhetha izihlobo ngokomongo waseNingizimu Afrika. Lolucwaningo lwaluhlose ukuvala lelo gebe nokunikeza ukuqonda ngezimo lapho ukukhetha izihlobo (nepotism) kungabhekwa khona njengento enenzuzo noma eyingozi. Uhlelo, indlela kanye nobuchule bocwaningo: Kusetshenziswe indlela yocwaningo lwe-qualititative ehlanganisa I-hermeneutic phenomenology ukuze kutholakale okuhlangenwe vii ngakho kanye nezincazelo zako. Izingxoxo ezihlelekile kancane zenziwe nabahlanganyeli abayisishagalombili abavela emkhakheni wokukhiqiza insimbi e-Gauteng, eNingizimu Afrika, nge-data ehlaziywe kusetshenziswa izihloko. Okutholakele: Kuvele izingqikithi ezinhlanu ezibalulekile: (1) ukukhathazeka okubonakalayo kokukhetha kanye nokulunga; (2) imiphumela ekusebenzeni kweqembu kanye nasemoyeni walo; (3) imiphumela yamakhono nokusebenza; (4) ukwethembeka nokwethenjwa emndenini; futhi (5) ukungabaza okuncike esimweni nokwamukelwa okunemibandela. Okutholakele kugqamisa ukuthi ukukhetha izihlobo akuthathwa njengento embi kuzo zonke izindawo; njengoba ukwamukelwa kwakho kuncike ezintweni ezifana nesimo, ukulingana okubonakalayo, ukuba sobala kanye nekhono labantu abaqokwe ngumndeni. Imiphumela engokoqobo noma yokuphatha: Imiphumela ephakamisa I- nepotism, uma kuphathwa ngendlela engagungquki nesobala ukuthi ingakhuthaza ukwethembeka, ukwethenjwa nokuqhubeka. Nokho, ukukhethana kwabantu ngendlela engalawulwa kahle kuqeda imibono yobulungiswa, kwehlisa umoya wokusebenza futhi kuphazamisa ubunye beqembu. Abaholi kanye nabasebenzi bakwa-HR kufanele basebenze ngokucacile, izinqubomgomo zokuqasha ezinobulungiswa nezihlola ezingasiza ekunciphiseni ubungozi, ngenkathi kusebenziswa izinzuzo ezingaba khona. Isethulo: Lolucwaningo lunegalelo kwimboni yezengqondo yenhlangano ngokwethula umqondo wokungaqondani kokukhetha abantu – ukuqaphela ngesikhathi sinye kwabasebenzi zombili izinzuzo kanye nokulimala kokukhetha izihlobo. Ithuthukisa I-theory ngokuxhumanisa imibono ne-theory yokulingana kanye ne-theory yokushitshisana kwezenhlalo, iphinde inikeze isiqondiso esisebenzayo sokuphatha ubandlululo ngezindlela ezinciphisa ukungalungi nokuthuthukisa imiphumela yenhlangano.

Matseno: Thwalo ya leloko ka tlwaelo e tšewa e le tiragalo ye kotsi ka mokgatlong, efela e sa dutše e atile kudu dikgwebong tšeo di laolwago ke lapa, e lego seo se tlišago potšišo ya ge e ba e ka tšweletša dipoelo tše dibotse ka tlase ga maemo a itšego. Maikemišetšo a nyakišišo: Nyakišišo ye e hlahlobile maitemogelo a bašomi a, maitshwaro ao a amanago le, maikutlo ka, go thwalo ya leloko, e hlahloba ka fao tše di bonwago bjalo ka monyetla wo o holaga. Tlhotleletšo ya nyakišišo: Dikganetšano ka dingwalweng tše di lego gona di šišinya gore go thwalo ya leloko e ka tšweletša dipoelo tše botse le tše mpe, eupša dikarolo tša dinyakišišo tše di lekanyeditšwego di nyakišišitše maitemogelo ao a phetšwego a bašomi a thwalo ya leloko seemong sa Afrika Borwa. Nyakišišo ye e be e ikemišeditše go rarolla sekgoba seo le go fa temogo ya maemo ao ka fase ga ona go thwalo ya leloko e ka tšewago bjalo ka ye e holago goba e lego kotsi. Tlhamo ya nyakišišo, mokgwa le mokgwa: Mokgwa wa khwalithethifi wo o šomišago tlhathollo ya maitemogelo o šomišitšwe go ngwala maitemogelo le ditlhalošo tše di phetšwego. Dipoledišano tše di sego tša rulaganywa ka botlalo di dirilwe le batšeakarolo ba seswai go tšwa lefapheng la tšweletšo ya ditšhipi ka Gauteng, Afrika Borwa, datha yeo e sekasekilwego ka go šomiša tshekaseko ya sererwa. x Dikhwetše tše kgolo: Go tšweletše direrwa tše hlano tše bohlokwa: (1) go kgetholla le go hloka toka mo go lemogwago; (2) ditlamorago go mafolofolo a sehlopha le maitshwaro; (3) bokgoni le dipoelo tša tiragatšo; (4) potego ya lapa le go bota; le (5) go se dumelelane ga diteng le kamogelo ya maemo. Dikhwetšo di laetša gore thwalo ya leloko ga e kwešišwe ka gohle bjalo ka ye mpe; kamogelo ya yona e ya ka mabaka a go swana le seemo, toka ye e lemogwago, go ba pepeneneng le bokgoni bja bao ba thwetšwego ba lapa. Ditlamorago tše di šomago goba tša taolo: Dikhwetšo di šišinya gore thwalo ya leloko, ge e laolwa ka go se fetoge le ka tsela ye e lego pepeneneng, e ka godiša potego, go bota le go tšwela pele. Le ge go le bjalo, thwalo ya leloko yeo e sa laolwego gabotse e senya dikgopolo tša toka, e fokotša maikutlo le go šitiša kgokagano ya sehlopha. Baetapele le bašomi ba HR ba swanetše go phethagatša melawana ya go thwala batho ye e kwagalago, ye e lokilego le ye e hlahlobjago yeo e ka thušago go fokotša kotsi, mola ba šomiša mehola yeo e ka bago gona. Go kgatatema: Thuto e kgathatema go thuto ya tša monagano ya mokgatlo ka go tsebagatša kgopolo ya go se dumelelane le thwalo ya leloko – temogo ya bašomi ka nako ye tee ya bobedi mehola le dikotsi tša thwalo ya leloko. E tšwetša pele teori ka go kgokaganya dikgopolo tše le teori ya tekatekano le teori ya phapantšho ya leago, gomme e fa tlhahlo ye e šomago ya go laola thwalo ya leloko ka ditsela tšeo di fokotšago go hloka toka le go kaonafatša dipoelo tša mokgatlo.