Wits School of Governance (ETDs)

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/37944

Browse

Filters

20232

Settings

Has files: YesSubject: search.filters.subject.Leadership

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Women’s social entrepreneurship: a bridge to social development and local economic growth in Gauteng, South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Montse, Mmabatho Priscilia; Ngcobozi, Lihle
    The South African government and the private business sector have been unable to create employment opportunities that meet the population’s needs. In light of this, entrepreneurship has become an essential catalyst for growth in the small, medium and micro enterprises (SMME) sector and a driving force behind the rapid expansion of social development (Li, Yaoqi, Huang, Songshan, Song, Lihong, 2020). It is in this context that social enterprises are a logical approach to bridging the economic gap. According to Canestrino, Cwiklicki, Magliocc and Pawelek (2020), the definition of social entrepreneurship is often unclear because of the lack of consistency, gaps in the literature and competing theoretical frameworks. Teasdale, McKay, Phillimore and Teasdale (2011), however, state that social enterprises often start off as community projects used by social entrepreneurs in their quest for change; the same authors also point out that these individuals are mainly active in the social and gender equality, human rights and environmental areas. According to literature, a social enterprise may describe a wide range of enterprises in different industries in the business, government and non-profit sectors. Social entrepreneurs are characterised by strong moral and ethical commitment, leadership, enthusiasm, a passion for meeting social needs and a sensitivity to environmental issues. While social entrepreneurship is developing, women’s leadership and entrepreneurship styles – which often lend themselves to socially conscious ways of doing business – are rarely explored (Davis & Abdiyeva, 2012). Women’s social entrepreneurship as a bridge between local economic growth and social development has been given little consideration. This study was conducted in this context of women’s leadership in social entrepreneurial activities and these activities supporting social development. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact that women leading social enterprises has on the social development of their communities. By applying a gendered analysis, a feminist framework and entrepreneurship perspectives, the researcher sought to explore how female social entrepreneurs lead, empower others and contribute to local economic growth in their communities. The study adopted the interpretivism research philosophy and qualitative research approach, and used the interview research strategy. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from participants with extensive experience in this field. The data collected from these interviews were processed using thematic analysis. 9 Themes such as empowerment, leadership, mentorship and social development emanated from the participants’ understanding of their roles in society and indicate that women’s social entrepreneurship positively transforms society and sociocultural order. Overall, the participants highlighted that women can bring about social development through leadership and entrepreneurship and could have more impact if they received more support. It was found that the participating female social entrepreneurs' goals and objectives in establishing their enterprises were to bridge the inequality gap and create and improve accessibility to opportunities for women and minority groups. The findings of this study suggest there is a need to expand the scope of research on women's social entrepreneurship in the context of developing economies
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Participation in Professional Learning Communities by female principals in Bojanala, Northwest Province
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Rabotapi, Tinti Enoch; Pillay, Pundy
    The study sought to determine the perceptions of female principals in secondary schools in the Bojanala district of the Northwest Province about the level of support they receive from each other through their networks and how this support impacts their confidence and motivation. The current study adopted a single case study to assess the PLC programme's implementation in the Northwest Bojanala District. The study combines qualitative and quantitative approaches to draw rich data. The study found that female principals used the PLC to exchange ideas and share best practices in a conducive and non-threatening environment. This enabled them to gain a lot of knowledge and improve the extent of their leadership and management skills. Improved knowledge and skills have had a ripple effect that has improved their confidence and motivation, resulting in the overall improvement of their schools and their learners' performance. The study concludes by recommending the model as an instrument that can address the under-representation of females at the managerial level. The recommendations also include how the model can be strengthened by providing additional support to participants. The study also recommends allocating time within the school timetable to create an opportunity for teachers to participate in the PLCs