In summary, the original contribution to knowledge of this research-based thesis lies in the fact that, as far as can be determined from published sources, this is the first exploration into an area of complex cultural behaviour and family business enterprise, notably within the Singapore context and Chinese women managers. / The purpose of this study was to provide an exploratory study on the possible influence of the Chinese culture on Chinese women managers who are managing their family owned businesses in Singapore, to make a contribution to the research literature in the area of research design and to generate suggestions for future research. / There was only limited research literature published in this area. A review of this limited literature on the Chinese culture and Chinese women managers failed to provide a clear perspective on the use of any specific method to determine the cultural influence on Chinese women managers. Moreover, most of this available literature was not written by a Chinese Singaporean for the Chinese women in Singapore, whereby the proper contextual interpretations may be necessary to form a more complete understanding of the possible issues facing these women managers. / Since culture is not easily quantifiable and can be altered by the exposure to external factors, the research was designed to explore only a portion of the Chinese women managers in Singapore using a list of questions. By limiting the research to lower educated Chinese women with only one business outlet in Singapore, the researcher has intentions to keep the research participants in one homogenous group as much as possible. It is probable that the other categories of Chinese women managers such as the higher educated or those with multiple business outlets may exhibit similar behavioural patterns as those of the targeted group for this research. However, there is a risk that the behavioural pattern of this other group may be dissimilar and their inclusion may skew and distort the research findings. / A preliminary survey was carried out on a group of research participants using a questionnaire. The questionnaire was derived in order to ensure a uniform interview process for each research participant. The sample size was kept small based on a sampling technique known as purposeful sampling. The 'negotiated outcome' method was used, whereby the findings from the interviews were shared with the research participant in order to obtain their concurrence and to correct any error in the interpretation of the data. The information from this initial survey was analysed in order to identify commonalities and a second questionnaire was constructed based on the findings from the initial survey. / The second survey, or verification study, was carried out in a series of interviews on another set of research participants. Again, the purposeful sampling method was used to keep the sample size small and, thus, to keep the data manageable. The data from the verification survey was summarised and analysed. From the analysis, it was found that there were at least two aspects of the Chinese culture that was found to have an influence on the Chinese women managers. These two aspects are a) Greener Pastures for their Children and b) Lower Education Expectations. / In the first case, it was found that most of the Chinese women managers did not have any intention to hand over their business to their children, citing a common reason, that is the expectation that their children will fare better if they were to seek their career elsewhere instead of staying within the family business and perpetuating it. It was argued that the primary reason for this behaviour was that the Chinese women managers had earlier set low targets for their businesses and is subsequently discouraging their children from taking over the business out of motherly concern. / If the Chinese women managers have set lower business goals for themselves, and then expecting their children to pursue their career elsewhere because of this, it will mean there was no plan to maximize the business in the first place. And, if there was no plan or desire to maximize the business, then the ability of the business to achieve its full potential will not be possible. / The second finding was that many of these Chinese women managers had lower education expectations of themselves compared to their male siblings. This was likely to be an old cultural artifact that the Chinese women have failed to discard from the end of the Han dynasty. But by keeping to this mindset, the Chinese women are limiting themselves from attaining the highest academic achievements, and as a result they are being limited from experiencing their full potential. / This belief and practice is still observed in Singapore in this day and age. It this is allowed to propagate, future generations of Chinese Singapore women may be brought up with similar mindsets. This will have long term and far reaching impacts on the economy of the nation because a portion of the female population would not have been given the opportunity to pursue their academic qualifications to the maximum. / It is important, therefore, that the findings of this research be made known to the Chinese women in Singapore so as to create an awareness of this part of the Chinese culture that is silently propagated. This awareness will create a consciousness that, if proper assistance is provided, enable the present generation of Chinese Singaporean to nurture their children differently in order to avoid propagating such mindsets. / Thesis (PhDBusinessandManagement)--University of South Australia, 2005

In summary, the original contribution to knowledge of this research-based thesis lies in the fact that, as far as can be determined from published sources, this is the first exploration into an area of complex cultural behaviour and family business enterprise, notably within the Singapore context and Chinese women managers. / The purpose of this study was to provide an exploratory study on the possible influence of the Chinese culture on Chinese women managers who are managing their family owned businesses in Singapore, to make a contribution to the research literature in the area of research design and to generate suggestions for future research. / There was only limited research literature published in this area. A review of this limited literature on the Chinese culture and Chinese women managers failed to provide a clear perspective on the use of any specific method to determine the cultural influence on Chinese women managers. Moreover, most of this available literature was not written by a Chinese Singaporean for the Chinese women in Singapore, whereby the proper contextual interpretations may be necessary to form a more complete understanding of the possible issues facing these women managers. / Since culture is not easily quantifiable and can be altered by the exposure to external factors, the research was designed to explore only a portion of the Chinese women managers in Singapore using a list of questions. By limiting the research to lower educated Chinese women with only one business outlet in Singapore, the researcher has intentions to keep the research participants in one homogenous group as much as possible. It is probable that the other categories of Chinese women managers such as the higher educated or those with multiple business outlets may exhibit similar behavioural patterns as those of the targeted group for this research. However, there is a risk that the behavioural pattern of this other group may be dissimilar and their inclusion may skew and distort the research findings. / A preliminary survey was carried out on a group of research participants using a questionnaire. The questionnaire was derived in order to ensure a uniform interview process for each research participant. The sample size was kept small based on a sampling technique known as purposeful sampling. The 'negotiated outcome' method was used, whereby the findings from the interviews were shared with the research participant in order to obtain their concurrence and to correct any error in the interpretation of the data. The information from this initial survey was analysed in order to identify commonalities and a second questionnaire was constructed based on the findings from the initial survey. / The second survey, or verification study, was carried out in a series of interviews on another set of research participants. Again, the purposeful sampling method was used to keep the sample size small and, thus, to keep the data manageable. The data from the verification survey was summarised and analysed. From the analysis, it was found that there were at least two aspects of the Chinese culture that was found to have an influence on the Chinese women managers. These two aspects are a) Greener Pastures for their Children and b) Lower Education Expectations. / In the first case, it was found that most of the Chinese women managers did not have any intention to hand over their business to their children, citing a common reason, that is the expectation that their children will fare better if they were to seek their career elsewhere instead of staying within the family business and perpetuating it. It was argued that the primary reason for this behaviour was that the Chinese women managers had earlier set low targets for their businesses and is subsequently discouraging their children from taking over the business out of motherly concern. / If the Chinese women managers have set lower business goals for themselves, and then expecting their children to pursue their career elsewhere because of this, it will mean there was no plan to maximize the business in the first place. And, if there was no plan or desire to maximize the business, then the ability of the business to achieve its full potential will not be possible. / The second finding was that many of these Chinese women managers had lower education expectations of themselves compared to their male siblings. This was likely to be an old cultural artifact that the Chinese women have failed to discard from the end of the Han dynasty. But by keeping to this mindset, the Chinese women are limiting themselves from attaining the highest academic achievements, and as a result they are being limited from experiencing their full potential. / This belief and practice is still observed in Singapore in this day and age. It this is allowed to propagate, future generations of Chinese Singapore women may be brought up with similar mindsets. This will have long term and far reaching impacts on the economy of the nation because a portion of the female population would not have been given the opportunity to pursue their academic qualifications to the maximum. / It is important, therefore, that the findings of this research be made known to the Chinese women in Singapore so as to create an awareness of this part of the Chinese culture that is silently propagated. This awareness will create a consciousness that, if proper assistance is provided, enable the present generation of Chinese Singaporean to nurture their children differently in order to avoid propagating such mindsets. / Thesis (PhDBusinessandManagement)--University of South Australia, 2005

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Murdoch University, 2006. / Thesis submitted to the Division of Arts. Bibliography: leaves 333-374.

Revision of the author's Thesis (doctoral)--Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Bonn, 1981. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [67]-70).

Zugl.: Köln, Univ., Diss., 2007

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Canterbury. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (p. 311-342). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Revision of the author's Thesis (doctoral)--Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Bonn, 1981. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [67]-70).

Thesis (M.A.)--Humboldt State University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 94-102). Also available via Humboldt Digital Scholar.

Thesis (B.A.)--Haverford College, Dept. of Economics, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references.

M.Com. (Industrial Psychology) / During the past decade the number of women in professional and managerial jobs increased dramatically. This tendency inevitably lead to greater interaction between men and women in the work situation. Organizations however spend little time and money on programmes addressing the unique career and support needs of the respective genders. Studies of successful women in managerial and professional jobs indicated that "good" mentors were perceived as a valuable asset in their upward mobility. The studies, however, also indicated that specific problems were being experienced in cross-gender mentor relationships. Hence the purpose ofthe study was to deduce the mentorship needs and problems experienced by women from a literature study with the aim to develop suitable instruments by means of which the extent of such needs and problems could be assessed. On the basis of the literature survey, two questionnaires were compiled which on face value respectively addressed the mentorship needs and cross-gender problems experienced in mentor relationships. The questionnaires were administered to 122 female Eskom employees in their early career phase. In the statistical analysis of the data obtained, the NP50-programme was mainly used. Both factor analysis as well as item analysis were conducted. The main results of the analysis are as follows: • Both scales (questionnaires) showed reliability coefficients higher than 0,9 for joint item analysis. • Three factors were identified for the mentorship needs questionnaire (scale 1) being the need for opportunities, the need for protection and the need for sponsorship and support. Factor 1 relates to the psycho social functions of mentorship whereas factors 2 and 3 relate to career functions of mentorship. • The questionnaire (scale 1) can be administered with or without consideration of the respective factors identified.