1. Overview
Increasing economic recession across the region has been the trend, characterised by a decrease in purchasing power together with price increases of basic consumer products. Weak economies together with unstable political environments tend to deteriorate the general social climate. There is also a growing unemployment, the rate varying from 6.8% in Brazil to 18.5% in Colombia. The peace process initiated in this country seems to be stacked due to lack of clear signs of agreement among opposed sectors.
Argentina’s persistent recession, over the last three years, has turned into a sort of economic depression. Recent elections aftermath evidenced political disagreements that compromises economic stability and put country competitiveness recovery at stake.
Labour relations and social security legislation are being revised in most countries, while government, industry and union leaders work together looking for new ways of participative decision-making on labour matters. Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela, Uruguay are clear examples of this trend, as well as the Dominican Republic, where a new law has been passed that radically transforms the social security system.
2. FIDAP member associations
Most HR associations across the r egion are making significant efforts to develop strategic programmes that enhance and spread knowledge, best HR practices and investigation to strengthen their services and add value to their members.
Colombia: The Asociación Colombiana de Relaciones Industriales y Personal organised its National Congress on Knowledge Management in September; participation was outstanding and industry support strong. Colombia has also issued the results of its 25th Annual Salary and Benefits survey, which details national practices on compensation and benefits as well as social balance indexes.
Brazil: The Asociación Brasileña de Recursos Humanos - with 8,048 members - is the biggest association within the region. ABRH goes on reinforcing its strategic planning process and looking for synergies to strengthen its presence. In August 2001 over 2,700 people attended its National Congress. Important initiatives have been put in place:
• ABRH. Com (on line recruiting)
• ABRH. Quality of life
• ABRH. Education
• ABRH. Research and Technology
• ABRH. Communication (website, magazine, orientation guide)
Venezuela: The Asociación de Recursos Humanos de Venezuela has created a programme called ‘Nueva Economía, Nueva Asociación’ (New economy, new association) and has established a new strategy agenda looking for a redefinition of its role and a better positioning with professionals, researchers and the government sector. It has signed alliances with groups of companies and is working on improving its corporate brand image and its house journal. Its successful National Congress on Innovation runs in early October; as well as HR managers, over 100 line managers attended from different Venezuelan companies.
Argentina: The Asociación de Dirigentes de Personal de la Argentina has merged with another association and has become a stronger HR association: the "Asociación de Recursos Humanos de Argentina" (ADRHA), with has over 1,300 members and 23 professional commissions. It has decided to offer free membership and free services, as its main policy is to open its doors to the whole HR community.
Uruguay: The Asociación de Dirigentes de Personal del Uruguay (ADPU) is creating a Training and Development Institute in coordination with the National Industry Sector. This institute will provide services to employees and to HR specialists. Its Compensation and Benefits Survey, created through a joint venture with PriceWaterhouse Coopers, has been successfully consolidated as a product/service.
República Dominicana: The Asociación Dominicana de Administradores de Recursos Humanos has made strategic alliances with the ‘Confederación Patronal’ (employers federation) and one of the main colleges in the country to develop a project on companies’ social responsibilities. It has doubled its number of members to 600 and launched an investigation into Human Capital in República Dominicana.
Perú: The Asociación Peruana de Recursos Humanos has made important changes in its corporate image and is strengthening its structures by integrating more than twelve professional commissions that work on all human resources areas.
Ecuador and Panamá are also working on projects and activities devoted to recruiting new members and increasing the participation and consolidation of its national HR associations, as well as its links with FIDAP.
3. FIDAP
The Board of FIDAP met in Lima, Perú on October 17-21, together with the XVII Interamerican Congress of Personnel Administration, organized by the Peruvian HR Association. The main subject of this high level event was: ‘The return on investment on human capital’. Most members of the Consultative Council, current and proposed new authorities plus representatives of seven national HR associations from ten countries attended this Board meeting.
One HR association from Chile, Círculo de Ejecutivos de Recursos Humanos de Chile, submitted its application to join FIDAP. It was temporarily qualified as ‘Observer’. Its definitive integration into FIDAP is being assessed and, if approved, it will replace the old Chilean association that has been dissolved. This would mean having again a representation in the country where FIDAP was created.
Besides the election of the new Executive Board for the 2001 – 2003 period, which took over immediately, the Assembly of FIDAP decided to amend its statutes and rules. A new name for FIDAP was approved: Federación Interamericana de Asociaciones Profesionales para la Gestión Humana, while keeping the short form FIDAP (Interamerican Federation of Professional Associations for Human Resource Management). A new organizationchart will include Central America and the Caribbean as a third geographic area of FIDAP. Vision, Mission and Values, plus an Acting Plan were established. On top of this, a new five year strategic plan was committed to be ready and implemented by May 2002.
The new Executive Board will focus on:
• Strengthening the existing associations and promoting the creation of new ones in countries that are not represented yet.
• Developing an information system that includes a website, a databank, internet connections, meetings for sharing experiences, leaders get-togethers, etc. There will be new strategic alliances for research, seminars and workshops, inspiring and adding value to members while revising the role, norms and procedures for FIDAP.
• FIDAP has unanimously ratified its full support towards the WFPMA and is committed to ensuring the necessary presence and regional representation at the World Federation.
The Board has also unanimously decided to grant the prize Oscar Alvear Urrutia to Ruben Casavalle, FIDAP past president and President of the Consultative Council, for his outstanding job in the development and strengthening of FIDAP and for helping to consolidate the use of good human resource management practices across the region.
