3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item Factors affecting the retention of generation Y black women in the finance sector in Johannesburg, South Africa(2018) Dhlomo, Monhlanhla HappinessThe world of work has changed over the years because of globalisation and new ways of doing business. In order for organisations to remain competitive in the market, they need to adapt to these changes by ensuring that they attract, develop and retain the right talent. This is particularly acute amongst South African organisations as they need to retain the right talent due to skills shortages and employee mobility. The issue of skills shortages is a result of black people not being given a good education and opportunities in the past during apartheid (IDASA, 1995). Also, now that there has been improvement made with giving the historically disadvantaged (i.e. black men and women) preference with regard to employment in South Africa, this has created opportunities to move and change jobs. Hence, this research explored factors that contribute to the retention of employees in the South African context. It specifically looked at Generation Y black female professionals from the ages of 25 to 35 years old working in the finance sector. The reason for this is because Generation Y, in comparison to other generations (i.e. Baby Boomers and Generation X), are currently those who are mostly employed. As much as affirmative action has made progress in giving the disadvantaged preference with regards to employment and empowering women by giving them more opportunities in the workplace then men, black women are still not developed and promoted in the workplace as they should be. This has led to organisations being challenged by the legislation to develop and promote black women in the workplace. Also, this gives black women more opportunities to constantly seek for better jobs and hop from one job to the next. This has created a challenge for organisations to retain them. Furthermore, the industries that have a high turnover according to Statistics SA (2016) and Compdata Surveys (2016) are finance, mining and manufacturing, with the highest being finance. A qualitative research design was used to explore factors that contribute to the retention of Generation Y black female professionals. The results showed compensation, work/organisational environment in relation to career development opportunities, gender inequality/discrimination, racism, lack of support, mentorship, harassment, work overload, reward and recognition, and work-life balance as challenges that Generation Y black female professionals face in the workplace. These also showed as factors that have an impact on the retention of Generation Y black female professionals. Also, the results showed that these challenges and factors have a psychological and professional impact on Generation Y black female professionals. Recommendations on the strategies that organisations can implement to improve the retention of Generation Y black female professionals are discussed. Suggestions ii to improve future research on the retention of Generation Y black female professionals are also discussed.Item Exploring the perceptions of male student activists in relation to gender transformation and equality: the case of Wits(2017) Nyaose, ThandazileThis research report explores how male Wits university students, who are actively involved in SASCO, a student organisation that advocates for amongst other things, none sexist society, perceive gender transformation and equality. The research approach utilised was qualitative and exploratory in nature with a broad aim of explaining the perceptions of the male students. Informal interaction and semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with ten male student activists and a key informant as methods of data collection. The data, in the form of interview transcripts was than analysed using the IPA approach. Although the participant’s perceptions of gender transformation and equality varied, it was evident, however, that all of the participants agreed that women have been previously and currently disadvantaged in society. The main findings that show the concepts of gender transformation and equality are much more digestible on paper and policies but difficult to implement. It becomes unreasonable to aspect individuals when they get into institutions of higher learning to now unlearn patriarchy and disown patriarchal privileges and benefits that they have enjoyed for most of the lives. The introduction of sustainable gender transformation and equality needs a complete overhaul of gendered societies and societal injustices. Gender injustices should be afforded the same attention that is given to economic inequalities, access to education and political instabilities.Item Challenges and prospects of the South African Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill(2016) Sibanda, NonhlanhlaThis research assesses the challenges and prospects of the South African ‘Women Empowerment and Gender Equality (WEGE) Bill’. The bill, passed by the National Council of Provinces in March, 2014 seeks to reinforce rights and opportunities in advancing gender equality and women empowerment in the country. The scope of this study is national and uses scenario planning to explore the future of the WEGE Bill through reviewing fifteen written parliamentary submissions and eighteen questionnaires. Questionnaires were distributed to representatives from government, civil society organisations and the private sector. The findings of the study revealed that while South Africa has made great legal and policy strides in advancing gender equality, a lot still needs to be done to realise that end. The promulgation of the new WEGE Bill has also not provided sufficient justification or prospects for any greater impact in addressing gender inequalities more than any other existing laws or policies would. Greater political will and more robust processes of consultation and stakeholder engagement are essential to making decisions on future gender equality policy making.Item Gender equity tensions in higher education: a critique of post-apartheid gender equity policy(2016) Akala, Beatrice M'MbogaGender inequality has been an area of concern internationally, regionally and nationally. Black South African women in general suffered triple oppression during the apartheid regime, based on race, gender and class oppression. Higher education mirrored the varied forms of marginalisation that existed in society and therefore the majority did not have the access to quality higher education afforded their white minority counterparts. The few black women who did have access were concentrated in historically disadvantaged institutions or studied through correspondence (Chisholm & September, 2005). The courses for which they were enrolled were aimed at perpetuating male dominance in the public sphere and domesticating them through women’s traditional roles of nurturing and caring. With the advent of democracy in 1994 the gates of higher education were opened to students who had previously been excluded. Effectively, black people in general and women in particular benefitted from race and gender categories of equity, according to the Department of Education, White Paper (1997). The equity clause that has been integrated in higher education policies encapsulates a clause that targets the redress of gender-related inequities and inequalities, aimed at ameliorating women’s access to higher education. Although race, gender and disability were identified, the National Plan (2001) notes that race equity had been given primacy in policies over gender equity. I argue that aggregated data emanating from recent studies in higher education indicate that 57% of the current female population are accessing public higher education. Although the figures from documentary evidence affirm a high presence, on examination of other factors this study found a more nuanced picture. Specifically, a change in equity deduced from the same data indicates that fewer women were enrolled in courses such as Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) or in postgraduate studies. Other areas of concern include high dropout rates, attrition and throughput (CHE, 2010; Draft Green Paper, 2012). This argument is made using theoretical and thematic exploration of post-apartheid South African gender equity reform agenda in higher education. In addition, higher education policy documents (National Council for Higher Education, 1996; White Paper, 1997; Higher Education Act, 1997; National Plan for Higher Education, 2001) and gender laws and frameworks have informed the study. It has aligned itself to one of the goals of White Paper (1997) that noted that in order for equity to be meaningful to the formerly disadvantaged; access and success have to run concurrently. Ultimately, the study has contended that by homogenising women the particular contexts of social justice have not been recognised (Young, 1990). The implication of the misrecognition of the particular and specific experiences of black women in higher education could be contributing to the enigmatic low throughput, high dropout rates and high levels of attrition currently being experienced in higher education. This thesis poses a challenge to policymakers and institutions of higher learning to shift their attention from viewing the attainment of gender equity and equality through notions of expanded access (global participation). To narrow the current gap it proposes a hybridisation of equity and equality policies (macro) with initiatives that target the particular and specific conditions (micro) of black women who access higher education. Key words: gender, equity, higher education, post-apartheid, policy, women.