Labour Dynamics in Chinese Small and Medium Enterprises (SME s)

What is it about?

This article examines the labour relations dynamics in Chinese-owned Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Harare. It particularly focuses on everyday employment encounters and relationships between Chinese employers and their employees. The article unpacks the complexities of labour practices inter alia selection and recruitment, training and development, promotion, benefits and contractual agreements in Chinese SMEs. The article argues that Chinese SMEs employ informal labour practices which enable them to exploit local labour. The findings reveal that workplace regimes in Chinese SMEs are characterised by precarity, conflict, and cooperation, while the recruitment of new workers is done through personal networks (social capital). In addition, findings also highlight the prevalence of abusive relationships, meager salaries, job insecurity, long working hours, and unfair dismissals. The contested labour regimes are in part due to conflicting cultural lifeworlds and work habitus.

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