Exploring Challenges Faced by Women in Executive Leadership in the Non-Profit Sector in South Africa

dc.contributor.authorNsibande, Nondumiso
dc.contributor.supervisorAlovokpinhou, Sedjro
dc.date.accessioned2024-08-08T13:01:01Z
dc.date.available2024-08-08T13:01:01Z
dc.date.issued2023
dc.descriptionA research report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Administration to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023
dc.description.abstractWomen continue to face challenges in executive leadership positions within non-profit organisations in South Africa which negatively affects their performance. Limited progress has been made on women’s representation in decision-making in the last few years, however, those who make it to these positions tend to vacate them because of obstacles that exist while holding these positions. This study used a phenomenological qualitative research design to explore the experiences of women in senior management positions in the non-profit sector. The study used in-depth interviews to collect qualitative data from 20 participants: 16 women leaders, and four men leaders in the non-profit sector. Feminist theory was used to understand the different challenges and discriminations faced by women in senior management based on race, gender, and other forms of stereotype. The study found that the main challenges faced by participants which affected their ability to thrive in their role as leaders in the organisations was the reinforcement of patriarchal ideologies, including gender norms in the workplace, lack of resources, lack of mentorship and investment in leadership training, gender wage inequality, discrimination based on the intersections between race and gender, and a lack of a family work-life balance. Participants also identified factors that could contribute to sustaining women in leadership positions such as positive organisational culture, and being intentional in challenging toxic gender norms and overall gender inequality; promoting work-life balance policies; investing in mentorship and networking opportunities, networking and leadership training
dc.description.submitterMM2024
dc.facultyFaculty of Commerce, Law and Management
dc.identifier.citationNsibande, Nondumiso. (2023). Exploring Challenges Faced by Women in Executive Leadership in the Non-Profit Sector in South Africa [Master’s dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WireDSpace.https://hdl.handle.net/10539/40047
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/40047
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
dc.rights© 2023 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
dc.rights.holderUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
dc.schoolWITS Business School
dc.subjectWomen
dc.subjectExecutive leadership
dc.subjectNot for Profit
dc.subjectChallenges
dc.subjectExperiences
dc.subjectUCTD
dc.subject.otherSDG-5: Gender equality
dc.titleExploring Challenges Faced by Women in Executive Leadership in the Non-Profit Sector in South Africa
dc.typeDissertation
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Nsibande_Exploring_2024.pdf
Size:
708.77 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
2.43 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description: