This dissertation examines how human resources are managed at selected Ethiopian private companies, how Ethiopian human resource management practice is evolving and how it can be improved. The examination is qualitative and exploratory, since no comparative research on human resource management has yet been conducted at Ethiopian profit or non-profit organizations. An understanding of Ethiopian human resource management practice makes it possible to improve Ethiopian human resource management practice, and thus to increase employee productivity. The study took place at four manufacturing and four service companies in Addis Ababa, all representative of their sector. The research claim is that Ethiopian human resource management practices differ from human resource management practices in ...