2. Categorizing the Chinese in Ghana
State-owned enterprise (SOEs) staffs
Privately-owned company owners and staffs
Independent Traders
3. Chinese State-owned Enterprises (SOEs)
About 20 out of 500 registered companies at the
Chinese embassy are SOEs
Mostly large-scale business in infrastructure, mining,
manufacturing, energy generation, telecom and
fishery
Relatively high percentage of Chinese staffs
Chinese Staffs:
Short-term stay, except for the senior executives
Young in age, mostly
Monthly income between US$1,500 and US$2,500,
excluding stipend
4. Chinese Privately-owned, Small- and
Medium-Enterprises(SMEs)
Locally registered
Entrepreneurs from Hong Kong, Taiwan and lately
Mainland China
In 2011, 41 manufacturing companies, 25 Chinese
restaurants, 8 clinics, 7 fishing companies and 59
trading companies (according to Chinese embassy)
Generally law-abiding, localized and experienced
…with a long-term plan
6. Formation of Isolation
Level of isolation varies, depending on nature of
business and prospective length of stay
Concerning safety, competition and salary
Reinforcement of isolating living arrangement from
the company
Language barrier from both sides
7. From Isolation to Perception of Local Labor
Rudimental belief in life meaning and work value
Difference in education, skills and learning ability
Concept of labor union
8. From Perception to Treating Local Labor
Perception Practice
“Productivity is essential; • Discrimination of hiring
but some Ghanaians do • Low wage and welfare (pay as what one deserves)
not understand this” • Dislike / disband labor union
“Ghanaians are not loyal” • Impatience of training local workers
• Using Chinese staffs whenever possible, including
employing overstayed Chinese workers
Difference language and • Obstacle for Ghanaian to get promoted
management culture
“Low-skilled workers • Maintaining temporary employment for low-skilled
should be obedient; but jobs
Ghanaians are not” • Immediate dismissal
• Disciplinary measures applied on Ghanaian workers
“Ghanaian government • For all the violations above, believing “in the end
workers are corrupt rent- money can solve the problems”
seekers”
9. Ghanaian Workers’ Dilemma
Not many alternatives to Chinese employers
Ghana Trade Union Congress can only speak on
behave of labor unions; but many Chinese SMEs forbid
labor unions to be formed
Sabotage is a way to release anger
Mistrust widens
10. Trend of Improvement: Localization
Chinese SOEs and multinationals are willing to
improve labor relations
Trusted Ghanaian workers are good mediators of labor
tension
Organization of events to allow more interactions
11. Trend of Improvement: Ghana Trade Union
Congress (TUC)
Improved knowledge about SOEs and their top-down
management systems
Participated in think-tank forum and visited Chinese government
leaders
Creatively inform Chinese employers about labor laws
Maintain relationship with the Chinese Embassy
Lecture for Chinese SOE managers as well as Ghanaian workers
Translate Ghanaian labor laws into Mandarin
Use the Ghanaian lawyers employed by Chinese companies to
communicate
Rewarded the Chinese companies which made positive changes
with good publicity in the media
Cooperated with the Ghanaian authorities that supervise various
projects undertaken by the Chinese
Allowed Chinese companies to learn slowly
12. Role of Chinese Business Leaders
Chinese business associations such as Ghana China
Chamber of Commerce (GCCC) play an important role
Publishing annual Ghana Chinese Business Directory
Translating Ghana news into Chinese
Increasing influence of GCCC
13. Road Ahead
According to TUC, between 2009 and 2011, Chinese labor
practice in Ghana generally improved
This trend will continue thanks to organizations such as
TUC and GCCC
Chinese companies are learning about western business
model and labor practice in order to localize
Through Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC),
Ghana’s government and civil society increased their
knowledge on Chinese business culture
Enlarging Ghana’s talent pool is important
Confucius Institute is about to be established in Ghana
GCCC’s membership is growing
Ghanaian media can encourage Chinese labor practice
improvement