People Management and National Development in Malawi

People are the most important asset with significant effect on overall national performance. Machinery cannot initiate production and the need to always have a creative workforce to operate machinery remains critical in organizations. The paper critically examines available evidence on national capacity to implement various development initiatives in Malawi against challenges on both the demand and supply side of the skills equation and the relationship between employers and employees.Empirical studies have shown that the demand for staff to implement the Malawi Growth and Development Strategies(MGDS) and meet industry''s demand is far greater now than ever before. Since people implement the strategic visions and development policies of a nation an adequate understanding of the linkage between human resources and socio-economic development is a starting point for appreciating the significance of people management and the importance of harnessing a conducive industrial relations system at organizational and national levels.