Factors contributing to the success of professional and business women in South Africa
- Authors: Doubell, Marianne
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Women executives -- South Africa , Women in the professions -- South Africa , Businesswomen -- South Africa , Career development -- South Africa , Women in development -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DCom
- Identifier: vital:9275 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1622 , Women executives -- South Africa , Women in the professions -- South Africa , Businesswomen -- South Africa , Career development -- South Africa , Women in development -- South Africa
- Description: Women remain notably underrepresented in management and leadership positions despite the enactment of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action policies. A critical literature review yielded evidence of a multitude of barriers inhibiting women’s career advancement beyond an apparent glass ceiling, but not which of the factors constitute the major barriers. A knowledge gap was further identified in research pertaining to characteristics of successful professional women and the environments that enable them to succeed in their professions. The purpose of the current study is to expand the empirical body of research and knowledge on factors contributing to the success of professional women, and of factors inhibiting the career progression of women in business. The study extends that of Punnett, Duffy, Fox, Gregory, Lituchy, Monserrat, Olivas-Luján and Santos (2006) and of Duffy, Fox, Punnett, Gregory, Lituchy, Monserrat, Olivas-Luján, Santos and Miller (2006), conducted in the Americas, to the South African context. The study suggests a conceptual framework for investigating factors that influence professional success of women. The developed conceptual framework of factors perceived to influence professional success was employed to empirically test the relationships between the variables presented. The empirical data collected was subjected to a series of statistical tests and the results considered in testing the hypotheses. Statistica 10 was employed to analyse the empirical data collected. Univariate and multivariate tests (MANOVA) were employed to determine whether sufficient evidence existed to make conclusions about hypotheses one to five of the study, relating to differences between two success groups of women based on their demographics and the selected variables. Pearson Product Moment Correlation (Pearson r) was employed to determine whether sufficient evidence existed to make conclusions about vi hypotheses six to ten, relating to significant relationships between the selected independent variables for the study and the professional success of women. Professional success was measured as job seniority level. For the pipeline success group, professional success was measured as seniority in relation to years in the employment sector and age. The contribution of the study to management science and possible limitations are discussed and recommendations made for future research. Recommendations for the development of women and for the social transformation of organisations are made. The study identifies a number of internal organisational support factors and government interventions which are recommended for inclusion in development initiatives for the achievement of gender equity.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- Authors: Doubell, Marianne
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Women executives -- South Africa , Women in the professions -- South Africa , Businesswomen -- South Africa , Career development -- South Africa , Women in development -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DCom
- Identifier: vital:9275 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1622 , Women executives -- South Africa , Women in the professions -- South Africa , Businesswomen -- South Africa , Career development -- South Africa , Women in development -- South Africa
- Description: Women remain notably underrepresented in management and leadership positions despite the enactment of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action policies. A critical literature review yielded evidence of a multitude of barriers inhibiting women’s career advancement beyond an apparent glass ceiling, but not which of the factors constitute the major barriers. A knowledge gap was further identified in research pertaining to characteristics of successful professional women and the environments that enable them to succeed in their professions. The purpose of the current study is to expand the empirical body of research and knowledge on factors contributing to the success of professional women, and of factors inhibiting the career progression of women in business. The study extends that of Punnett, Duffy, Fox, Gregory, Lituchy, Monserrat, Olivas-Luján and Santos (2006) and of Duffy, Fox, Punnett, Gregory, Lituchy, Monserrat, Olivas-Luján, Santos and Miller (2006), conducted in the Americas, to the South African context. The study suggests a conceptual framework for investigating factors that influence professional success of women. The developed conceptual framework of factors perceived to influence professional success was employed to empirically test the relationships between the variables presented. The empirical data collected was subjected to a series of statistical tests and the results considered in testing the hypotheses. Statistica 10 was employed to analyse the empirical data collected. Univariate and multivariate tests (MANOVA) were employed to determine whether sufficient evidence existed to make conclusions about hypotheses one to five of the study, relating to differences between two success groups of women based on their demographics and the selected variables. Pearson Product Moment Correlation (Pearson r) was employed to determine whether sufficient evidence existed to make conclusions about vi hypotheses six to ten, relating to significant relationships between the selected independent variables for the study and the professional success of women. Professional success was measured as job seniority level. For the pipeline success group, professional success was measured as seniority in relation to years in the employment sector and age. The contribution of the study to management science and possible limitations are discussed and recommendations made for future research. Recommendations for the development of women and for the social transformation of organisations are made. The study identifies a number of internal organisational support factors and government interventions which are recommended for inclusion in development initiatives for the achievement of gender equity.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
How has the South African government conceptualised gender?: an evaluation of the draft strategic framework on gender and women's empowerment
- Ndlovu, Innocencia Sithandazile
- Authors: Ndlovu, Innocencia Sithandazile
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Sex discrimination against women -- South Africa , Women in development -- South Africa , Equality -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9097 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011856 , Sex discrimination against women -- South Africa , Women in development -- South Africa , Equality -- South Africa
- Description: The research seeks to evaluate how the South African government has conceptualised gender through the use of the concepts of WID and GAD. This research has been conducted through the analysis of the Draft Strategic Framework on Gender and Women's Empowerment a document of the Department of Trade and Industry that was formulated to address and redress the issues of gender equality. It has some sound suggestions that seek to identify strategies to improve women empowerment through financial independence. As a result they have used various approaches in order to provide strategies that are mindful of the „needs‟ of the women. Accordingly they have formulated a policy that understands who these women are and have made recommendations of strategies that different groups of women can identify with. They have included the marginalised rural and disabled women and even gone as far as catering for younger women still at school. However there has been concern at the impact that the exclusion of men has contributed, therefore it is important to find ways in which to make men more involved.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- Authors: Ndlovu, Innocencia Sithandazile
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Sex discrimination against women -- South Africa , Women in development -- South Africa , Equality -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9097 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011856 , Sex discrimination against women -- South Africa , Women in development -- South Africa , Equality -- South Africa
- Description: The research seeks to evaluate how the South African government has conceptualised gender through the use of the concepts of WID and GAD. This research has been conducted through the analysis of the Draft Strategic Framework on Gender and Women's Empowerment a document of the Department of Trade and Industry that was formulated to address and redress the issues of gender equality. It has some sound suggestions that seek to identify strategies to improve women empowerment through financial independence. As a result they have used various approaches in order to provide strategies that are mindful of the „needs‟ of the women. Accordingly they have formulated a policy that understands who these women are and have made recommendations of strategies that different groups of women can identify with. They have included the marginalised rural and disabled women and even gone as far as catering for younger women still at school. However there has been concern at the impact that the exclusion of men has contributed, therefore it is important to find ways in which to make men more involved.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
Identification and analysis of the factors that influence the development of female entrepreneurs in the informal sector
- Authors: Sokabo, Nobenguni B
- Date: 2002
- Subjects: Women-owned business enterprises -- South Africa , Small business -- South Africa , Businesswomen -- South Africa , Women in development -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:10907 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/98 , Women-owned business enterprises -- South Africa , Small business -- South Africa , Businesswomen -- South Africa , Women in development -- South Africa
- Description: There is a remarkable increase in the participation of females in business activities due to their involvement in the informal sector. These activities appear to be insignificant and not measurable because they are outside the regulatory framework, but they also absorb multitudes of the unemployable. Notwithstanding the challenges of low levels of education, lack of skills and finance as well as the need to balance reproductive and productive roles, females are under pressure to generate income through trading in small scale businesses that can hardly grow beyond subsistence level. With the meagre earnings from their activities, they ensure the survival of their families. If female entrepreneurs are developed and brought into the economic main stream, they will bring with them their unique survivalist techniques that will contribute towards economic development and growth in the country. This report examines the constraints that affect the development of female entrepreneurs in the informal sector.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2002
- Authors: Sokabo, Nobenguni B
- Date: 2002
- Subjects: Women-owned business enterprises -- South Africa , Small business -- South Africa , Businesswomen -- South Africa , Women in development -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:10907 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/98 , Women-owned business enterprises -- South Africa , Small business -- South Africa , Businesswomen -- South Africa , Women in development -- South Africa
- Description: There is a remarkable increase in the participation of females in business activities due to their involvement in the informal sector. These activities appear to be insignificant and not measurable because they are outside the regulatory framework, but they also absorb multitudes of the unemployable. Notwithstanding the challenges of low levels of education, lack of skills and finance as well as the need to balance reproductive and productive roles, females are under pressure to generate income through trading in small scale businesses that can hardly grow beyond subsistence level. With the meagre earnings from their activities, they ensure the survival of their families. If female entrepreneurs are developed and brought into the economic main stream, they will bring with them their unique survivalist techniques that will contribute towards economic development and growth in the country. This report examines the constraints that affect the development of female entrepreneurs in the informal sector.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2002
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