Acta Universitatis Danubius. Œconomica, Vol 15, No 2 (2019)

Abstract

The extent and pace of transformation in the South African labour market and private sector has gained increasing importance in recent times. The financial services sector, under which the banking industry falls, has, through the Financial Sector Charter, committed itself as the first member of the private sector to voluntarily commit to the achievement of transformation objectives. Despite these efforts, transformation in the South African banking sector has been slow, particularly at middle and senior management levels. This paper focuses on assessing the perceptions of black African middle managers on barriers to career progression. The present study was qualitative in nature, employing a purposive sampling approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted amongst 18 black African middle managers in two major banks. The paper is of value to managers and HR professionals in the banking sector by addressing a major labour market issue.