HIV/AIDS in the workplace and the impact on firm efficiency and firm competitiveness: The South African manufacturing industry as a case study

Abstract

The aim of the article was to determine the extent of the negative impact of HIV/AIDS in the workplace on firm efficiency and firm competitiveness. The South African manufacturing sector was used as a case study. The above-mentioned research was deemed necessary, as very limited research has been published specifically on the technical measuring of the extent of the impact of HIV/AIDS on firm efficiency and firm competitiveness in South Africa. A survey questionnaire was designed for use in the research in order to capture the extent of the impact of HIV/AIDS on all levels of firm efficiency and firm competitiveness. A detailed statistical analysis of the results of the survey questionnaire and the parameter estimates of impact log-linear econometric power functions indicated that the negative impact of HIV/AIDS on firm efficiency and firm competitiveness was becoming more prevalent and serious, as it is underpinned by the statistical significance of the results and the high elasticity coefficients of the estimated log-linear power functions. It is recommended that human resource managers implement and manage HIV/AIDS programmes more effectively in order to counter the extent of the negative impact on firm efficiency and firm competitiveness.