This study investigated the contribution of women entrepreneurs to the economic growth of the North West Province. The aim of the study was to identify the contribution of women entrepreneurs in the economic growth, to determine forces driving women to become entrepreneurs. The study also aimed at examining future challenges for women entrepreneurs as well as strategies to advance women entrepreneurs . The Quantitative research method was chosen for the study and the targeted population was women entrepreneurs and women interested in entrepreneurship in Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp in the North West Province. A total of200 participants were selected for the study, 100 women entrepreneurs and 100 women interested in entrepreneurship. Stratified random sampling was used to randomly select a subset of 50 women entrepreneurs and 50 women interested in entrepreneurship. The primary instrument used to collect data from the selected respondents was the questionnaire. Data were collected, analysed and presented in tables and figures. The findings of the study reveal~ that women entrepreneurs made positive contributions on the economic growth of the North West Province. They create employment, reduce poverty, initiate businesses, build self-employment and expand their businesses. The study confirmed that women entrepreneurs lack skills, knowledge and experience in business. They do not get support in infrastructure, finance and education to run their businesses. The researcher recommended that women entrepreneurs should get training and education with regard to running a business. There should also be infrastructure, accessibility of technology, funding and support for women entrepreneurs. Women entrepreneurs should get support from local governments and appropriate information should be made available to them. / (MBA) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2006

Afrikaans text / Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om lewenssin soos dit binne die leefwereld van die gesitueerde Suid-Afrikaanse sakepersoon van toepassing is, teoreties te omlyn, te operasionaliseer en die belewenis daarvan op fenomenologiese wyse te beskryf. Lewenssin, met lewenssinvolheid en lewenssinloosheid as twee pole op 'n kontinuum, is ondersoek deur te fokus op lewensorientasie, lokus van gedrag, waardes, spiritualiteit, groei, ontwikkeling, transendering, vervreemding, 'n kortstondige en fatalistiese ingesteldheid, konformisme, kollektivisme, fanatisme, en die strewe na mitiese sukses. In die literatuurondersoek, wat die eksistensiele, humanistiese en holistiese paradigmas as vertrekpunte neem, is operasionele definisies van lewenssinvolheid en lewenssinloosheid gekonstrueer. Die profiel van die Suid-Afrikaanse sakepersoon met so 'n belewenis is aan die hand van sy/haar paradigma, kenmerke en gedrag gekonstrueer. 'n Proses van meaning making word voorgehou, terwyl lewenssin as integrasie van teenoorgesteldes gekonstrueer word. Daar word gepostuleer dat die sakepersoon met 'n belewenis van lewenssinvolheid die landskap van sy/haar psige relasioneel bewoon. Daarteenoor openbaar 'n belewenis van Jewenssinloosheid 'n nie-relasionele orientasie, paradigma en bewoning van die wereld. In die fenomenologiese ondersoek is gebruik gemaak van die onderhoud om die fenomeen, lewenssin, te laat ontvou. Die steekproef het bestaan uit getroude sakelui, dertig jaar en ouer, en woonagtig in Gauteng. Heterogeniteit in terme van geslag, geloofsoortuigings en korporatiewe opset is ook verreken. Uit die ondersoek ontvou ses temas wat sentreer om ruimtelikheid, basiese stemming, beliggaming en bewoning, asook die teenwoordigheid van die psige, andere en die wereld (wat die aarde en 'n transpersoonlike entiteit insluit). Dit blyk dat die Suid-Afrikaanse sakepersoon sy/haar landskap vera! nie-relasioneel bewoon. Elemente van relasionele bestaan is wei aanwesig. Tog word die begeerte aan 'n meer relasionele bestaan in die behoeftes en versugtinge van die betrokke sakelui verwoord. Die gevolgtrekking word gemaak dat gebrekkige relasies in verband gebring kan word met 'n nie-relasionele paradigma wat lewenssinloosheid tot gevolg het. Op 'n kontinuum van lewenssin word bevind dat Suid-Afrikaanse sakelui nader aan die pool van lewenssinloosheid le, met 'n behoefte aan 'n beweging na die teenoorgestelde pool, naamlik lewenssinvolheid. Om lewenssinvolheid, lewenskwaliteit, en optimaliteit te bevorder, word aanbeveel dat die relasionele paradigma as vertrekpunt dien by remedierende ingrepe. / The purpose of this research is to theoretically outline and operationalise meaning in life as it applies to the life-world of situated South African businesspersons, and to describe phenomenologically their experience of that phenomenon. integration of opposites. It is posited that the businessperson experiencing life as meaningful, inhabits the landscape of his/her psyche in a relational way. In contrast, the person experiencing life as meaningless, displays a non-relational orientation, paradigm and being-in-the­ world. The phenomenological investigation made use of interviews to allow the phenomenon, meaning in life, to unfold. The sample consisted of married business persons, thirty years and older, and residing in Gauteng. Heterogeneity (in terms of gender, religious convictions and corporate circumstances) was also taken into account. Meaning, with meaningfulness and meaninglessness as its two extremes on a continuum, was examined, focusing on life orientation, engagement style, values, spirituality, growth, development, transcending, alienation, transitoriness and fatalism, conformism, collectivism, fanaticism, and aspiring to mythical success. In the literature investigation, which was based on existential, humanistic and holistic paradigms, operational definitions of meaningfulness and meaninglessness were construed. The profile of the South African businessperson experiencing the phenomenon, was construed with reference to his/her paradigm, characteristics and conduct. A meaning making process is proffered, while meaning is construed as an Six themes unfold from the investigation, centring around spatiality, basic mood, human bodiliness and being-in-the-world, as well as the presence of the psyche, other people and the world (including the earth and a transpersonal entity). The South African businessperson appears to inhabit his/her landscape in a mainly non­ relational manner. There are some elements of relational existence, but the needs and heart's desires voiced by the businesspersons concerned point to a longing for a more relational existence. In conclusion: Deficient relations can be associated with a non-relational paradigm, which causes an experience of life as meaningless. A meaning continuum shows South African businesspersons as figuring closer to meaninglessness, and needing to move towards the opposite pole, namely meaningfulness. To promote meaningfulness, quality of life and optimal functioning, the relational paradigm is recommended as point of departure in remedial intervention. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / DCom (Bedryfsielkunde)

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research study presents an empirical quantitative research aimed primarily at establishing whether there is a need for a weekly professional and business women's newspaper. Due to the scope and costs of doing a national research, this research was narrowed to the Western Cape's Cape metropolitan region. This research is therefore a pilot study which is to provide foundations for a representative research project. A structured questionnaire-based survey was designed and used to gather data that would answer the research question. This survey was distributed amongst 200 professional women, business women and women aspiring to these positions and who are currently reading newspapers within the Cape Metropole. The questionnaire was divided into three sections. The first section was the screening section which was to ensure that all respondents are within the target group. This was followed by the demographic section which was to establish the backgrounds of respondents and the newspaper readership patterns section which aimed to understand women's readership patterns and also to answer the research questions. Findings from the survey revealed that there is a potential market for a weekly professional and business women's newspaper, as 82 percent of the 200 respondents indicated that they would be willing to buy a newspaper targeted at women. Results also revealed that these women mainly read newspapers on a Sunday. In addition the majority (65%) of the respondents indicated that they would prefer a women's newspaper to be a weekly publication. This implies that a weekly professional and business women's newspaper is a potentially viable business proposition. Although the results and literature supports the view that professional and business women are a growing market and that they are generally not satisfied with the current newspaper offerings in the market, this research is a pilot research study and should be followed by a larger scale research project to investigate this topic and better understand the needs of women. Moreover, future studies will establish more precisely the size of this market and establish whether it makes business sense to pursue this proposition. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsingstudie verteenwoordig 'n empiriese kwantitatiewe navorsingstuk primêr daarop gerig om te bepaal of daar 'n behoefte bestaan vir 'n weeklikse koerant vir professionele en sakevroue. As gevolg van die omvang en koste van 'n nasionale navorsingstudie, is hierdie navorsing net gerig op die Wes-Kaapse Kaapstadse metropolitaanse streek. Hierdie navorsing is daarom 'n proefstudie wat die grondslag bied vir 'n meer verteenwoordigende navorsingsprojek. 'n Gestruktureerde vraelys-gebaseerde opname is ontwerp en gebruik om data in te samel wat die navorsingsvraag sou beantwoord. Die vraelys is onder 200 professionele vroue, sakevroue en vroue wat tot hierdie posisies aspireer versprei wat tans lesers is van koerante binne die Kaapse Metropool. Die vraelys is in drie dele verdeel. Die eerste afdeling het siftingsvrae bevat om seker te maak dat die respondente deel uitgemaak het van die teikengroep. Dit is gevolg deur ‟n demografiese afdeling wat moes bepaal wat die agtergronde van respondente was en 'n afdeling oor koerantleespatrone wat daarop gemik was om vroue se leespatrone te verstaan en ook die navorsingsvrae te beantwoord. Bevindings van die opname het getoon dat daar 'n potensiële mark is vir 'n weeklikse koerant vir professionele en sakevroue aangesien 82 persent van die 200 respondente aangedui het dat hulle bereid sou wees om 'n koerant gerig op vroue te koop. Die resultate het ook getoon dat hierdie vroue hoofsaaklik op 'n Sondag koerant lees. Verder het die meerderheid (65%) van die respondente aangedui dat hulle sou verkies dat 'n vrouekoerant 'n weeklikse publikasie is. Dit impliseer dat 'n weeklikse koerant gerig op professionele en sakevroue 'n potensieel lewensvatbare besigheidsproposisie is. Alhoewel die resultate en die literatuur die standpunt ondersteun dat professionele en sakevroue 'n groeiende mark is en dat hulle oor die algemeen nie tevrede is met die huidige koerantaanbiedinge in die mark nie, is hierdie navorsing slegs 'n proefstudie en behoort dit opgevolg te word deur 'n veel groter navorsingsprojek om hierdie onderwerp te ondersoek en die behoeftes van vroue beter te verstaan. Verdere studies sal ook meer presies kan bepaal wat die grootte van hierdie mark is en bepaal of dit besigheidsin maak om hierdie proposisie verder te voer.

Depuis quelques années, les progrès réalisés dans le domaine des technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC) ont stimulé la mondialisation sociale et économique entraînant l’avènement d’une société dite de l’information. Les campagnes élaborées autour de la dite société prônent la nécessité voire l’urgence pour les pays africains d’utiliser ces technologies afin d’atteindre un niveau de développement élevé. La société malienne n’échappe pas à cette situation. Les télécommunications y jouent un rôle déterminant ainsi que les stratégies tournées vers l’accès universel.Cependant, les progrès technologiques participent à l’atomisation de la société en élargissant particulièrement le fossé catégoriel entre les hommes et les femmes. Cette situation constitue une préoccupation pour tous les acteurs d’autant plus que, selon les Nations Unies, le manque d’accès aux TIC constitue le troisième défi crucial pour la femme après la pauvreté et la violence. Aussi, la prise en compte du genre et l’intégration des femmes dans la réflexion sur les TIC et le développement prennent- elles encore plus d’importance malgré les contraintes et l’écart entre le « dire » et le « faire ». Ce travail s’intéresse aux enjeux que recèle l’usage d’une technologie comme le téléphone mobile pour la femme malienne dans un contexte où tradition et modernité se confrontent. Autrement dit, il est question d’analyser la manière dont le téléphone parvient à s’insérer dans le quotidien de la femme malienne opératrice économique, les pratiques nouvelles ainsi que les transformations qu’il occasionne. / In recent years, progress made in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT) has stimulated social and economic globalization, leading to the development of an information society. Widespread campaigns around that society advocated the need and even the urgency for African countries to use these technologies to reach the expected level of development of which the nation Mali is not an exception. In that area telecommunications and affiliated strategies oriented towards universal access play an important role. However, technological advances are involved in the atomization of society especially broadening the gap between men and women. Moreover, stakeholders are concerned by this situation, especially since, according to the United Nations, the lack of access to ICTs is the third crucial challenge for women after poverty and violence. Therefore, the consideration of gender issues and women integration in ICTs and development become more important despite the constraints and the gap between what is said and what is done. This work focuses on issues that include the use of technologies such as mobile phones by Malian women in an environment whereby tradition and modernity tackle each other. In other words, this study analyses how mobile phones, the new practices and transformations it brings in, fit in the daily life of Malian business women.

Afrikaans text / Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om lewenssin soos dit binne die leefwereld van die gesitueerde Suid-Afrikaanse sakepersoon van toepassing is, teoreties te omlyn, te operasionaliseer en die belewenis daarvan op fenomenologiese wyse te beskryf. Lewenssin, met lewenssinvolheid en lewenssinloosheid as twee pole op 'n kontinuum, is ondersoek deur te fokus op lewensorientasie, lokus van gedrag, waardes, spiritualiteit, groei, ontwikkeling, transendering, vervreemding, 'n kortstondige en fatalistiese ingesteldheid, konformisme, kollektivisme, fanatisme, en die strewe na mitiese sukses. In die literatuurondersoek, wat die eksistensiele, humanistiese en holistiese paradigmas as vertrekpunte neem, is operasionele definisies van lewenssinvolheid en lewenssinloosheid gekonstrueer. Die profiel van die Suid-Afrikaanse sakepersoon met so 'n belewenis is aan die hand van sy/haar paradigma, kenmerke en gedrag gekonstrueer. 'n Proses van meaning making word voorgehou, terwyl lewenssin as integrasie van teenoorgesteldes gekonstrueer word. Daar word gepostuleer dat die sakepersoon met 'n belewenis van lewenssinvolheid die landskap van sy/haar psige relasioneel bewoon. Daarteenoor openbaar 'n belewenis van Jewenssinloosheid 'n nie-relasionele orientasie, paradigma en bewoning van die wereld. In die fenomenologiese ondersoek is gebruik gemaak van die onderhoud om die fenomeen, lewenssin, te laat ontvou. Die steekproef het bestaan uit getroude sakelui, dertig jaar en ouer, en woonagtig in Gauteng. Heterogeniteit in terme van geslag, geloofsoortuigings en korporatiewe opset is ook verreken. Uit die ondersoek ontvou ses temas wat sentreer om ruimtelikheid, basiese stemming, beliggaming en bewoning, asook die teenwoordigheid van die psige, andere en die wereld (wat die aarde en 'n transpersoonlike entiteit insluit). Dit blyk dat die Suid-Afrikaanse sakepersoon sy/haar landskap vera! nie-relasioneel bewoon. Elemente van relasionele bestaan is wei aanwesig. Tog word die begeerte aan 'n meer relasionele bestaan in die behoeftes en versugtinge van die betrokke sakelui verwoord. Die gevolgtrekking word gemaak dat gebrekkige relasies in verband gebring kan word met 'n nie-relasionele paradigma wat lewenssinloosheid tot gevolg het. Op 'n kontinuum van lewenssin word bevind dat Suid-Afrikaanse sakelui nader aan die pool van lewenssinloosheid le, met 'n behoefte aan 'n beweging na die teenoorgestelde pool, naamlik lewenssinvolheid. Om lewenssinvolheid, lewenskwaliteit, en optimaliteit te bevorder, word aanbeveel dat die relasionele paradigma as vertrekpunt dien by remedierende ingrepe. / The purpose of this research is to theoretically outline and operationalise meaning in life as it applies to the life-world of situated South African businesspersons, and to describe phenomenologically their experience of that phenomenon. integration of opposites. It is posited that the businessperson experiencing life as meaningful, inhabits the landscape of his/her psyche in a relational way. In contrast, the person experiencing life as meaningless, displays a non-relational orientation, paradigm and being-in-the­ world. The phenomenological investigation made use of interviews to allow the phenomenon, meaning in life, to unfold. The sample consisted of married business persons, thirty years and older, and residing in Gauteng. Heterogeneity (in terms of gender, religious convictions and corporate circumstances) was also taken into account. Meaning, with meaningfulness and meaninglessness as its two extremes on a continuum, was examined, focusing on life orientation, engagement style, values, spirituality, growth, development, transcending, alienation, transitoriness and fatalism, conformism, collectivism, fanaticism, and aspiring to mythical success. In the literature investigation, which was based on existential, humanistic and holistic paradigms, operational definitions of meaningfulness and meaninglessness were construed. The profile of the South African businessperson experiencing the phenomenon, was construed with reference to his/her paradigm, characteristics and conduct. A meaning making process is proffered, while meaning is construed as an Six themes unfold from the investigation, centring around spatiality, basic mood, human bodiliness and being-in-the-world, as well as the presence of the psyche, other people and the world (including the earth and a transpersonal entity). The South African businessperson appears to inhabit his/her landscape in a mainly non­ relational manner. There are some elements of relational existence, but the needs and heart's desires voiced by the businesspersons concerned point to a longing for a more relational existence. In conclusion: Deficient relations can be associated with a non-relational paradigm, which causes an experience of life as meaningless. A meaning continuum shows South African businesspersons as figuring closer to meaninglessness, and needing to move towards the opposite pole, namely meaningfulness. To promote meaningfulness, quality of life and optimal functioning, the relational paradigm is recommended as point of departure in remedial intervention. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / DCom (Bedryfsielkunde)

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of a Degree of Master of Technology: Business Management, Durban University of Technology, Durban, 2017. / Positive women entrepreneurial support can change the entrepreneurial spirit, attitude and perceptions among the women communities with specific references to rural women in the northern region of KwaZulu-Natal province. A lot of previous research survey about how SMMEs can improve women’s socio-economic challenges did not properly include those women living in the rural places such as KwaZulu-Natal. This study aims to analyse the use of SMMEs as a strategic tool for women’s socio-economic empowerment in rural northern KwaZulu-Natal. The study was conducted within the rural areas of northern KwaZulu-Natal using qualitative method. The sample for the study consisted of 250 respondents of rural women SMMEs. The respondents were selected using quota sampling. Respondents were asked to complete 2 page questionnaires with an interviewer present to assist. The data analysis was done by using SPSS version 24.0. The results were presented through tables and bar graphs. The main aim of the study was to investigate and describe the use of SMMEs as a strategic tool, to identify factors influencing the use and to examine to what extent they affect the use of SMMEs as a strategic tool for women empowerment. The findings of the study reveals that rural women SMMEs are mostly affected by external factors while on the other hand they also indicated that lack of proper training and entrepreneurial education have impact on the day- to -day running of their businesses. The study was limited by the exploratory nature and small sampling size. Therefore, generalisation of the findings should be done with care and further research is encouraged and should include other places in the area. / M

MCom (Business Management) / Department of Business Management / South African economic policies (for example, the National Development Plan [NDP] and Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act [BBBEE]) place high emphasis on promoting entrepreneurial activities. In particular, these policies seek to provide for interventions that minimise challenges faced by entrepreneurs. In spite of this there is a segment of entrepreneurs that continues to experience numerous challenges – women entrepreneurs. The purpose of this study was to analyse the challenges faced by rural-women entrepreneurs. Rural women entrepreneurs in particular face challenges or barriers, which can be categorised under entrepreneurial, socio-cultural, personal, and technical barriers. The notion of gender socialisation can be used as one of several explanations as to why males and females behave differently. This kind of socialisation is also thought to be at the root of gender stereotyping, including chauvinism. This kind of socialisation has been said to influence the degree to which women face entrepreneurial challenges in rural areas. To address this research problem, which focuses on social perceptions, the critical realism paradigm was used. The research methodology used was a quantitative one, with the sample size 151 participants. Snowballing was utilised to locate participants with the desired characteristics. Self-completing questionnaires adapted from previous studies were utilised to gather data. The collected data was analysed using IBM-SPSS. Various descriptive and multivariate statistical tests, including ANOVA, cluster analysis, and factor analysis were used to analyse the data. The data collected indicated that women entrepreneurs with higher levels of gender socialisation (‘strongly believe’) are affected by entrepreneurial challenges more than those with low levels of gender socialisation. The results also indicated that education plays a key role in changing women’s’ attitudes towards their gendered roles and how they are socialised from a young age through to adult status. The researcher recommended equal opportunities for both males and females with regard to access to state resources such as education and finance, and access to information about businesses. / NRF

This study aimed to investigate factors affecting the participation of women-owned MSEs in the manufacturing sector in two selected sub-cities of Addis Ababa, namely, Kolfe Keranio and Nefas Silk Lafto sub-cities and to explore and gain a deeper understanding of the lived experiences and participation of women who own MSEs in the manufacturing sector as well as government entities that support these MSEs. The study adopted a qualitative, exploratory research approach. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted to collect data from women who participated in the manufacturing sector, government officials, MSEs experts in the sub-cities and gender office professionals who worked closely with women’s MSEs in the manufacturing sector. Besides, direct observation was used to get firsthand information concerning the nature of women-owned MSEs and their working environments such as limited working space, lack of warehouses, and physical constraints relating to the use of stairs in storeyed buildings, among others. Document review and secondary data were used to triangulate the results from the interviews and obtain quantifiable data that could be used to clarify certain issues in the study. The data were analyzed using thematic data analysis to identify how the theme related to the research objectives. The researcher used a table to visualize the coded themes to determine which was the major problem, support, and characteristics of women-owned MSEs. The study revealed that women have limited education levels and skills. It is thus difficult for women who own MSEs to exploit advantages or opportunities to expand their business. The findings also reported the inability to access finance for MSEs start-ups and expansion. Women generally lacked information regarding various aspects of MSEs during the establishment of their businesses. Women-owned MSEs have received some support, particularly from government agencies. However, the support they are currently receiving is inadequate to enable them to transform their business. Women-owned MSEs still face problems on many fronts including workspace, limited finance, outdated technology, poor marketing strategies were among others that need addressing. To develop women-owned MSEs and empower other women in the field, the government, the public sector, and formal financial institutes should be informed on the value of gender-balanced contribution in the informal sector enterprises. It is recommended that there should be a greater focus on the social and economic empowerment of women, as they constitute a vulnerable social category that is critical in development endeavors. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)