Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The phenomenon of transformation was originally conceived, in a South African context, as a political strategy driven by socio-political force with the objective of fostering change based on principles of enhancing human dignity and promoting equality in all aspects of society. The workplace was one of the areas that first experienced the consequences of transformation, encouraged mainly through legislation such as the Employment Equity Act (No. 55 of 1998). The manner in which affirmative action measures may be implemented is determined by the Employment Equity Act (No. 55 of 1998), which aims to ensure that the legacies of apartheid in the South African workplace are redressed. In this regard, employment equity will, over time, be achieved by promoting equal opportunity and fair treatment through the elimination of unfair discrimination and through the implementation of affirmative action measures to advance Black people, women and people with disabilities. Regardless of legislative imperatives, South Africa has failed quite markedly to realise the promotion of greater equality between all South Africans in the workplace. Black South Africans and women are still seriously under-represented in top and senior management posts. The key findings of the 2007/8 Employment Equity Report prepared by the Commission for Employment Equity for the National Department of Labour showed low representation of Blacks at top level management, senior management, and professionally qualified and middle management levels, as compared to their white counterparts. The challenges for organisations to transform are multi-faceted and include skills shortages, homogeneous organisational cultures, a lack of commitment and a failure to incorporate proper human resource strategies. Organisations require a commitment by all members, particularly the leaders, to examine the norms, customs, values and practices which militate against establishing a culture of valuing diversity. A holistic approach that changes organisational systems, practices and policies as well as the individual attitudes and values needed to create a valuing diversity culture should propel an organisation towards true transformation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die verskynsel van transformasie is oorspronklik in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks ontwikkel as 'n politieke strategie aangedryf deur sosiopolitieke kragte en met die doel om verandering te bevorder, gebaseer op die beginsels van die verbetering van menswaardigheid en die ondersteuning van gelykheid in alle aspekte van die samelewing. Die werkplek was een van die areas waar die gevolge van transformasie eerste ondervind is, hoofsaaklik bevorder deur wetgewing soos die Wet op Gelyke Indiensneming (No. 55 van 1998). Die wyse waarop maatreels vir regstellende aksie geimplementeer mag word, word deur die Wet op Gelyke Indiensneming (No. 55 van 1998) bepaal. Hierdie wet het ten doel om te verseker dat die erfenis van apartheid in die Suid-Afrikaanse werkplek reggestel word. In hierdie opsig sal gelyke indiensneming mettertyd bewerkstellig word deur gelyke geleenthede en billike behandeling aan te moedig deur die uitskakeling van onbillike diskriminasie en deur die implementering van regstellende-aksiemaatreels om swart mense, vroue en gestremde mense te bevorder. Ongeag van wetgewing het Suid-Afrika in hoe mate misluk in die daarstelling van groter gelykheid tussen alle Suid-Afrikaners in die werkplek. Swart Suid-Afrikaners en vroue is steeds ernstig onderverteenwoordig in top- en senior bestuursposte. Die sleutelbevindings van die 2007/8 Verslag oor Gelyke Indiensneming voorberei deur die Kommissie vir Gelyke Indiensneming vir die Nasionale Departement van Arbeid, het aangetoon dat swartes in vergelyking met hul wit ewekniee swak verteenwoordig is op die vlak van topbestuur, senior bestuur, professioneel gekwalifiseerdes en middelbestuur. Die uitdagings vir organisasies om te transformeer het vele fasette en sluit in 'n tekort aan vaardighede, homogene organisasiekulture, 'n gebrek aan toewyding en 'n gebrek aan die toepassing van behoorlike strategiee vir menslike hulpbronne. Organisasies vereis toewyding van alle lede, veral die leiers, om die norme, gewoontes, waardes en praktyke te ondersoek wat in stryd is met 'n kultuur waarin waarde geheg word aan diversiteit. 'n Holistiese benadering wat organisasiestelsels, -praktyke en -beleid verander, asook die individuele houdings en waardes wat nodig is om 'n kultuur te skep wat waarde heg aan diversiteit, behoort 'n organisasie op die pad te plaas na ware transformasie.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) not only aims to readdress the racial imbalances of the apartheid era, but also seeks to promote social responsibility and empowerment of historically disadvantaged South African (HDSA) communities (Esser & Dekker, 2008). The transformation journey within the South African Liquid Fuels Sector has been a difficult and lengthy one. The South African Liquid Fuels Sector was amongst the first to receive its own Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) sector charter (Liquid Fuels Charter) in 2000. Although numerous transformation milestones have been achieved, the sector has been criticised for its slow pace in advancing transformation, which has in part contributed to the amendment of the B-BBEE Codes in 2013. The argument of slow transformation can be attributed to obstacles faced by those in industry tasked with implementing B-BBEE. There has been a deficiency in studies that have investigated transformation and the implementation of B-BBEE within the sector. As a result, the central objective of this study was to explore the B-BBEE implementation challenges faced by companies within the liquid fuels sector. A qualitative approach was employed for the collection of primary data and involved interviews with eight top and senior management representatives of Chevron South Africa (Pty) Ltd. The results emanating from the study revealed numerous implementation challenges. The study together with literature reviewed, highlights the need to address these challenges in order for B-BBEE implementation to yield the desired results for all stakeholders within the South African Liquid Fuels Sector. The study concludes that a lack of understanding of B-BBEE policy; alignment of internal party interests; overcoming internal biases; skills shortages and lack of experience by Black individuals; involvement of senior management in implementation process; co-ordination and structure required in B-BBEE implementation execution; communication within organisations; diversity/cultural awareness; and B-BBEE policy issues and skills attraction and retention are some of the issues impacting B-BBEE implementation within the South African Liquid Fuels Sector.

The shift from an ethnocentric, monocultural society to a more inclusive and democratic society should be accompanied by a national policy providing equal access to resources in a proactive, affirmative manner. This can be achieved in one of the two ways, either through equal employment opportunity or Affirmative Action. Affirmative Action is a specific intervention directed toward ensuring that employment opportunities are created by actively correcting imbalances caused by past discrimination and achieving employment targets. Equal employment opportunity implies an absence of discrimination, whereas Affirmative Action denotes compensatory discrimination in favour of disadvantaged groups.<br /> <br /> Affirmative Action is a supplement to, rather than equivalent to equal employment opportunities in that equality cannot be a genuine option where the effects of previous discriminatory practices have not been redressed. In an equal opportunities system, not all persons have the same chance of achieving the desired goal, but all are provided with equal means to achieve it. The unequal outcome of such a system is caused by the unequal skills for talents of the past discrimination, especially in terms of education and experience. All the Directors of Tygerberg Administration who responded to the questionnaires supported this and all of them agreed that training is necessary for all employees, especially the previously discriminated groups. The primary objective of Affirmative Action can therefore said to be the adequate advancement of disadvantaged groups for the purpose of securing equal rights, freedom and opportunities.<br /> <br /> Equal employment opportunity is seen as a passive agreement on the part of the employer not to discriminate against any particular group. Employers adhering to the principle of equal employment opportunity evaluates candidates for employment according to performance criteria which relates directly to the requirements of a particular position. Affirmative Action seeks to go beyond equal employment opportunity in that it recognises that, when members of disadvantaged groups constitute only a small percentage of the labour pool, passively providing equality of opportunity will not suffice in overcoming the effects of previous discriminatory employment practices. Affirmative Action employers are therefore given the mandate to identify and remove the barriers to the employment of those under-represented in the workplace. Merely removing the present obstacles to equality does not necessarily ensure equality between groups since the effects of previous discrimination need to be actively redressed.<br /> It can be noted that equal employment and Affirmative Action programmes should not be equated with each other as they imply different approaches to overcoming the effects of previous discrimination. Affirmative Action is said to be a supplement to, rather than the equivalent of equal employment opportunity, in that it is required to eliminate the barriers to real equality in the workplace. In this regard, it is essential to point out that Affirmative Action programmes are a means to an end, namely equal employment opportunity, and should not continue after this end has been achieved. Due to the similarity between the two terms, Affirmative Action and equal employment opportunity are often equated with one another when, in essence, they have different meanings.<br /> <br /> From the information gathered for this research it was clear that not many Blacks were employed in management and supervisory positions of the City of Tygerberg. The research revealed that despite adopting the Agreement on Affirmative Action and equal employment practice of the National Labour Relations Forum for Local Government as its policy framework, the Tygerberg Administration had not succeeded in meeting most of its obligations in terms of the above mentioned policy framework. This is largely ascribed to problems experienced with the implementation of equal employment and Affirmative Action programmes within the local authority. The methods of communicating these programmes to especially its lower category of disadvantaged employees to participate in training opportunities to improve their working skills, were not capitalised on. There was an unequal distribution of skills due to the effects of past discrimination, especially in terms of education. Active steps therefore need to be taken to ensure that the intentions of the local authority with repect to equal employment and Affirmative Action are implemented efficiently and effectively.

This research report set out to provide an evaluation of the progress made by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development with respect to affirmative action and employment equity, and particularly with respect to the promotion of greater gender equity in employment, especially at the management levels.

Women working in male-dominated professions and environments face experiences that are unique to their counterparts in more gender-balanced and female-dominated professions. The nature of these experiences affects women’s integration and potential success in male- dominated professions. To enhance employment equity in historically male-dominated professions and environments, an understanding of women’s experiences in such environments is beneficial. The purpose of this research was to explore the challenges and coping strategies of women working within male-dominated professions and environments. This was an exploratory qualitative study conducted within the interpretive research paradigm. A purposive sample consisting of five women working in identified male-dominated professions and environments was utilised. In-depth interviews were conducted and data was analysed using grounded theory. The main findings indicate that the central theme pertinent to women working in male-dominated professions and environments pertains to the types of challenges inherent in their work settings. The main challenges found were as follows: discrimination and bias; physical and health-related difficulties experienced; negative emotions resulting from working in male-dominated environments; lack of real transformation; and work/life balance. This study provides current insight into the plight of women working in male-dominated professions and environments in South Africa. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

This study presents the research of an investigation into communication challenges that affected the implementation of Black Economic Empowerment and the communication strategies/policies used to inform and communicate with employees in businesses. To achieve this aim questionnaires were administered to seven BEE compliant organizations in KwaZulu-Natal. Mersham’s communication model for development provides a basis for evaluation of the BEE communication challenges. This study reviewed theories and literature relevant to the implementation of Black Economic Empowerment and Communication Strategies. The perceptions gained from the literature review were used to interpret the results which were obtained through a qualitative paradigm. The findings revealed that communication is a pivotal pillar in any organization and both employers and employees need to maintain the strength that binds these pillars and brings the organization together. South Africa has faced many challenges since the apartheid era. The BEE policy therefore, aims to iron out unfair practices in businesses, which is why communication is extremely important to this process. / M

A research report submitted to the faculty of humanities, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, Applied Ethics for Professionals / The following paper examines the moral justification for affirmative action within South African sport, more specifically the forms pertaining to “preferential treatment” and “reverse discrimination”. The paper begins with an articulation of the nature of our sport as well as that of affirmative action, which in turn lays the foundation for my moral justification. South African sport, it seems, must share centre stage in our country’s reconciliation and nation-building process if we are to faster realise a substantively equal and non-racial society. I argue that by appropriately bringing about the right kind of integration in South African sport we can create a better country for all by reducing, inter alia, our racial and class disparities, racial prejudices and racism. That said, there appears to be a greater moral significance that comes from using “preferential treatment” and “reverse discrimination” in South African sport, as opposed to their complete absence. / MT2018

Thesis (MTech (Human Resource Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018. / Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) has been the epitome of policy reform pervading South Africa (SA) since 1994, the end of apartheid. Often making media headlines, it inherently arrogates itself to all stakeholders engaged in commerce with/within SA. The impetus for the study ensued owing to recent (2013) changes to the B-BBEE legislative landscape. More specifically, the focus of the study was on one segment: Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSEs), operating within the same realm as Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs). The rationale for such a focus stemmed from this market segment’s seemingly rigid response to such change, deemed to support this study’s results. The literature review embarked upon in Chapters 2 to 4, that is, collecting secondary data, provided for a solid foundation relative to a subject matter embedded with technical jargon and often driven by highly emotive/subjective inputs from stakeholders. The literature primarily drew from untested assumptions: these were mainly due to the high degree of contentiousness surrounding B-BBEE as subject matter, the lack of research (statistical results) relative to B-BBEE legislative change and more specifically, the lack of the latter relative to this study’s scope. The above introduction initiates the notion of there being inherent demarcations to this study, dictating the most relevant research design and methodology suited thereto. A pragmatic research philosophy was adopted, owing to its qualitative, exploratory enquiry. Furthermore, the unit of analysis, consisting of 16 samples, was conveniently selected. Although convenience sampling was regarded the most suitable approach to collecting data, it gave rise to the study’s biggest limitation: its inability to generalise findings. On that note, its findings were in line with the researcher’s precedential assumption upon its initiation: legislative change to Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) for Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSEs) lead(s) to non-compliance and impeded transformation goals. The results give rise to a plethora of valuable insights into the dynamics of the industry, not only for strategic direction to be set for/by stakeholders on both a micro and macro level, but also providing a solid foundation relative to further research to be embarked upon – a notion highly advocated in supporting the integration of sustainable transformation in modern South Africa (SA).

The political and economic pressures for transformation in South Africa have been documented in an array of policies, pieces of legislation, regulatory and statutory frameworks, and also in governance codes for both public and private companies. Specifically for the mining industry, the Mining Charter comprises of transformation targets and measurement criteria that are presented in a scorecard to be achieved by the mining industry by 2014. Additionally, the King reports on governance have specific requirements that listed companies must meet in terms of employment equity and demographic representation to achieve board diversity and independent boards. The aim of this study was to report on the board transformation status in the mining industry, as well as the progress that has been made towards meeting transformation targets. The 2011 annual reports were used to capture profiles and composition of board of directors in Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) listed mining companies. Interviews were used to gain insight on the transformation status, initiatives undertaken and challenges of transformation in the mining industry. The research findings from the analysis of board members demographic and career profiles shows that little has been achieved to ensure equal representation and diversity on the boards of directors. Further analysis of the status of transformation by JSE listed mining companies to realise transformation, shows that transformation in the mining industry is still a major challenge. Whilst some initiatives have been undertaken and some progress has been made, this study reveals that the barriers to transformation in the South African mining industry are racial issues and tensions based on colour, the lack of skills caused by the education system, a war for talent, a lack of mentorship and no stakeholder engagement between the mining industry and government / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Thesis (MPA.) --University of Limpopo, 2002 / Refer to the document