How the acquisition of literacies shapes professional identity in human resources : an autoethnography

Date
2021-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY : To be literate carries many meanings. For years I thought that being able to read, write and do simple mathematics made a person literate. However, and since coming onto this learning journey, I realised how narrow my view on the topic was. Scholarly research provided a new lens and profound insights into the world of literacies and what the acquisition thereof could mean to the individual. It is true that professions require one to have very specific competencies in order to be a functional member within a field of expertise. However, the literature examined in this study shows that as we learn, we acquire literacies that can be usefully applied in order to make us experts within certain contexts. The purpose of this study was to examine how the acquisition of literacies shaped my professional identity in human resources. Methodologically this is an autoethnography that follows a narrative approach and qualitative style, underpinned by the assumptions of an interpretivist paradigm. I was both the researcher and a participant. Data were mined through the narration of my life story and by placing the spotlight on specific events as they unfolded within different contexts. I applied a thematic analysis approach in the study which allowed me to gain greater insights into my journey of becoming the unique human resources professional I am today. This thesis concludes with a discussion on how the research questions guided me towards conclusionary findings in relation to the research topic, encouraging further research on the topic in both the South African and the greater African context.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Om geletterd te wees dra vele betekenisse. Vir baie jare lank was my interpretasie omtrent geletterdheid eenvoudig dat ’n mens moet kan lees, skryf en basiese wiskunde doen. Die literatuur dui egter daarop dat geletterdheid ’n veel meer omvattende begrip is as net die basiese lees-, skryf- en wiskundevaardigheid, ’n feit wat deur vele skrywers benadruk word. Om beroepskenner te wees beteken dat die individu spesifieke vaardighede moet hê en hulle binne die beroepsomgewing moet kan toon. Die ondersoekte literatuur dui daarop dat ’n individu wel verskeie geletterhede verwerf wat binne vele kontekste bruikbaar kan wees. Die doel van hierdie studie was om spesifiek ondersoek in te stel na hoe die verkryging van geletterhede tot die vorming van professionele identiteit in menslike hulpbronne bydra. Hierdie was ’n kwalitatiewe, outo-etnografiese navorsingstudie waarin die navorser beide navorser en deelnemer is. Data is ontgin deur middel van storievertelling en die kollig is geplaas op gebeure binne vele kontekste wat tot die uitbereiding van die onderwerp kon bydra. Data-analise is uitgevoer deur die gebruik van tematiese analise, waartydens temas gebruik is om refleksies en afleidings te maak oor hoe my unieke reis as beroepspersoon op die gebied van menslike hulpbronne begin het. Ten slotte bespreek ek hoe die navorsingsvrae my bevindinge rondom die onderwerp staaf, en hoekom dit nodig is om hierdie onderwerp verder in die Suid-Afrikaanse sowel as die groter Afrika-konteks te ondersoek.
Description
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.
Keywords
Career development -- Personal narratives, Literacy -- Personal narratives, Ethnography, Autoethnography, UCTD
Citation