Housing management: processes, roles and competencies applicable to developing countries

Abstract

Paper presented at the XXXIII IAHS World Congress on Housing, 27-30 September 2005,"Transforming Housing Environments through Design", University of Pretoria.

The aim of this paper is to present housing processes and roles and competencies of housing managers in developing countries. The competencies will be indicated for one sub-sector on the different managerial levels. The roles and competencies are based upon a newly developed generic housing management model. The model was developed with due cognisance of the contemporary international housing guidelines, the developing country context and the national housing policies and legislation. The housing management model, as well as the processes, roles and competencies were developed out of a literature study and empirical studies including workshops and meetings with stakeholder representatives, analyses of job descriptions of housing management practitioners and postal surveys throughout the housing sector. The model can be used to support professionalisation processes. The paper should contribute towards a clearer understanding of the housing processes, housing management, the roles that housing managers should fulfil and the competencies that they should possess. Therefore the information can be used by practitioners as a benchmark for job descriptions, housing management practice and performance management. Housing educators can use the information to generate educational outcomes for their qualifications and programmes.