Why Capability Development, Not Just Resources, Unlocks Sustainable Employment
Imagine an hourglass filled with resources. Now picture one of South Africa’s many underserved communities. As time passes, those resources slowly filter down—but leave little lasting change. The poverty persists, the jobs remain out of reach, and the question lingers: How do we truly equip people to live better lives?
For Prof. Ian Rothmann, Director of the Optentia Research Unit at the North-West University (NWU), the answer lies not in the sand of that hourglass, but in what replaces it.
“Our research shows that work capabilities—not just resources—are essential for sustainable employability,” explains Prof. Rothmann. “It’s not enough to give people things. We must enable them to become and do what they value in life and work.”
Shifting from Resources to Capabilities
Sustainable employability is about more than just having a job. It means individuals have the real freedom—the capabilities—to pursue meaningful work over time, under conditions that preserve their health, autonomy, and dignity.
This is where the capability approach becomes transformative. Developed by economist Amartya Sen and philosopher Martha Nussbaum, it focuses not on what people have, but on what they are able to do and be.
“Resources matter,” says Rothmann, “but only in so far as they can be converted into outcomes that people value. Equity in capabilities—the freedom to realise meaningful goals—is more important than simply equalising resources.”
The Optentia Mission: Flourishing Through Capability
At Optentia, the focus is on building real pathways out of precarious conditions. Global shifts have intensified job insecurity and deepened inequality. Yet as societies evolve, so too do people’s expectations—they want agency, participation, and the ability to contribute.
Optentia’s research uses the capability approach to uncover what people need to flourish in today’s world of work. The emphasis is on inclusiveness, fairness, and justice—not just economic output.
“By focusing on work capabilities,” Prof. Rothmann notes, “we move away from narrow, income-based metrics and instead evaluate whether individuals can pursue what truly matters to them.”
Equality of Opportunity, Not Uniformity of Means
The NWU and Optentia align their work with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in promoting decent work and inclusive growth. A key insight from their research is that equality of opportunity leads to social justice more effectively than equality of resources.
“A universal policy that gives everyone the same resources—without considering their values, contexts, or capabilities—isn’t fair,” Prof. Rothmann explains. “It can even be unjust. People have different needs and different paths to flourishing.”
Instead, what’s needed is a society that nurtures individual potential, supports freedom of choice, and removes barriers to meaningful participation in work and life.
Turning the Hourglass
Returning to the hourglass metaphor, Prof. Rothmann proposes a profound change. Replace the grains of resource-focused policy with grains of capability development, and the hourglass no longer just counts time—it becomes a tool for transformation.
By investing in people’s capabilities, the NWU and Optentia are helping South Africans not just find work, but shape futures in which they matter, belong, and flourish.
