Gaps and paradoxes in theory and practice: the public sector human resource management discourse in South Africa1

There is currently a gap between the work of academics and that of human resource (HR) practitioners. This is due to specific paradoxes inherent to the field. Within this paradoxical context, the article reflects on a future framework for public sector human resource management (PSHRM) thought and practice. Academics are predominantly preoccupied with the relatively unpredictable process of exploring and questioning. One assumes that academics seek one universal truth, namely an integrated, structured knowledge base, as opposed to a situation where there are disconnected facts and ideas. Practitioners find themselves identifying (and trying to rectify) workplace problems in order to improve conditions for all employees, and to enhance the performance of public sector institutions. This depiction of the respective roles of academics and practitioners creates the potential for conflict, thereby complicating the HR component. Within this context, the article sheds light on what should be the primary focus of academic thinking and managerial practice in the PSHRM field.