Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master in Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, 2007. / The end of the apartheid era in South Africa presented the new government with a myriad of challenges. This involved massive transformation, whilst ushering in a regulatory framework of enabling legislation to give effect to the country's fledgling Constitution. One of the transformational priorities was to address gender equality. Despite legislative imperatives having been instituted, gender equity targets are not being met, nor are affirmative action programmes being implemented to their fullest to facilitate and support gender equality. This research investigates the barriers that inhibit women from breaking the glass ceiling in the South African public service. The research paradigm was exploratory, using qualitative techniques and the results are largely descriptive. Secondary information was obtained from literature and information available. Multiple case studies were conducted using five subjects who were representative of the target population. The overarching purpose of this study was to investigate and understand the barriers that inhibit women from breaking the glass ceiling in the South African public service. The concept of the glass ceiling is defined as the invisible barrier that blocks women from advancing to senior management positions. The study proposes and considers various issues that may have an impact on upward mobility for women. A review of literature reveals that barriers exist as a worldwide occurrence and these prevent women from upward mobility. Justification for this research is twofold: there has been no such study to date; and gender equality is not being achieved and affirmative action programmes have not been fully implemented. The findings of the study provide a deeper understanding of the barriers that prevent women from career progression in the South African public service. Recommendations are made to address this issue / M

M. Com. (Development Economics) / In recent years unemployment has received considerable international attention from scholars, policy makers, and labour practitioners, because it has reduced economic welfare, reduced output, and eroded human capital. Researchers argue that South Africa is faced with structural unemployment because of the insufficient demand for low-skilled resources and the sufficient demand for highly skilled resources. However, in terms of highly skilled resources, young South Africans have become better educated over the last decade, resulting in a significant growth in the size of the graduate labour force. This growth emanates particularly from the fact that the majority of the graduate labour force has completed their tertiary education. Despite this growth, graduate unemployment appears to be rising along with the overall unemployment rate. The aim of this study is to sensitise policy authorities to the impact of graduate unemployment on the economy by highlighting the perceived causes of graduate unemployment in South Africa’s banking sector. The research was conducted with the aid of a survey administered to two groups, namely a graduate group and a human resource (HR) manager group. The result derived from the research shows that the quality of tertiary institutions which relates to educational standards and culture, the quality of education, high expectations, a shortage of skills, a lack of work experience, and a lengthy process of application and job search are perceived to be the possible causes of graduate unemployment in South Africa. The study makes several tentative recommendations relating to what can possibly be done to reduce graduate unemployment. Among the recommendations proposed are the improvement of the quality of education and institutions, a well-planned career guidance mechanism, and a graduate recruitment subsidy.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Masters of Technology: Quality,Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2012. / This study examined the quality, employability and the competencies of graduates from the Department of Operations and Quality Management at Durban University of Technology (DUT). The objectives of the study included determining the relevance of the curriculum to the workplace; evaluating the views of graduates regarding employability; and assessing the views of organisations regarding graduate performance in the workplace. The study also proposes that with the knowledge and skills acquired in the field of Operations Management, graduates should be able to reach their full personal and professional potential. However, these graduates still experience difficulties in adjusting and coping with the realities of the labour market. Combinations of qualitative and quantitative research methods were used. The study was exploratory in nature. The study made use of questionnaires to obtain the respondent’s view. The pilot study composed a sample of ten graduates. For the main study, forty of the sixty graduates and employers completed and returned the questionnaires that were administered. The response rate was 67%. The Cronbach’s Alpha Reliability Analysis was used to measure the reliability of the questionnaires. Face validity was verified by the statistician for pre-administering of questionnaires. The results revealed that obtaining a qualification in operations management at DUT increases the employability of graduates. The study also showed that employers are content with the way in which these graduates are able to translate their theoretical knowledge into practice, and to identify and solve problems within organisations. However, the study shows that some employers did not provide adequate support and guidance in relation to their development. / M

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Master of Management Science in Administration and Information Management, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / The purpose of the study was to explore the empowerment of women leadership, focusing on the Durban University of Technology. Statistics around the world have highlighted that women are under-represented in decision-making positions, with a specific focus on the academic sector; this study aims to review these statistics and establish which barriers prevent females from progressing to leadership positions. The target population was comprised of staff members from the Durban University of Technology and ranged from leadership, management, and lecturing, to entry-level employees. The technique of probability sampling was chosen in this research, with a sample size of 100 participants drawn from the population. Questionnaires were designed with both closed-ended and some open-ended questions, and were personally administered to all campuses of the Durban University of Technology, namely Ritson Campus, Steve Biko Campus, ML Sultan Campus, City Campus, Indumiso Campus and Riverside Campus. This study revealed that, although women are still under-represented in Higher Education, there are efforts being made to bridge this gap. This study found female leaders more productive than male counterparts at the Durban University and are able to run their department smoothly and efficiently. The study also found that there are internal respondents agreed that there are hidden difficulties in their department that women face and prevent them from moving into higher positions. Additionally, the study found that there are programs at the Durban University that empower women into leadership. This study contributes to knowledge of gender-based leadership and female empowerment into leadership positions, in the higher education sector. / M

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Arts, Johannesburg, 2017 / This research report seeks to explore the experiences of women in white-collar work, particularly by comparing the experiences of black and white female administrators at of the University of the Witwatersrand. What this report illustrates is that both race and generational differences play a significant role in informing the experiences of the female administrators. A qualitative methodology was used to collect data for this report, particularly in-depth interviews to get “detailed information” about the participants’ experiences, beliefs and thoughts. Three main generational groups have been identified among the Wits administrators: Baby Boomers, which is the older generation that is dominated by white female administrators; Generation X; and the Millennial group, which is dominated by black female administrators and consist of the younger generations. This research report thus argues that race has affected the workplace experiences of Wits administrators through generational differences. Furthermore, while generations share similar experiences and world views, they are not homogeneous categories / XL2018

This study investigates the defensibility of affirmative action in education. The struggle against apartheid society and apartheid education has also been a struggle to build a democratic society and a democratic way of learning. For South Africa, the children's education should be compatible with the ideals of democratic society. In order to rectify the racist discrimination and insensitivity of the apartheid regime we need to promote the ideal of complex equality. This report argues that affirmative action is not a defensible strategy for the pursuit in education as part of the process of consolidating democracy in South Africa. The notion of equality is best understood in terms of Michael Walzer’s concept of complex equality (as against simple equality). The concept of complex equality can be used to explicate the inadequacies of affirmative action. An account of education is developed which emphasizes complex equality. The application of affirmative action in education presupposes a shallow understanding of education. The pursuit of democracy through education is best promoted through a notion of complex equality because it takes into consideration the plurality of South African society.

A Research Report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Commerce in Accounting in the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management at The University of the Witwatersrand September 2016 / Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) or Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) is an important means by which the South African government aims to address the social injustices of the past as well as eliminating inequalities between white capital and the black majority (Fauconnier and Mathur-Helm, 2008). The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has been tasked with overall responsibility for instituting and monitoring the laws that govern BEE. Since the introduction of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act no. 53 of 2003 (Ferreira and Villiers, 2011) and the codes of good practice of 2007, a number of amendments were made in response to deficiencies identified, the most material being the Amended Codes of Good Practice of 2013, which were effective from 1 May 2015. This research paper sought to investigate the impact and cost implications of the 2013 amendments to the BBBEE Codes of Good Practice (new codes) on companies within the industrial goods and services sector of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). This was done relative to the 2007 BEE Codes of Good Practice (old codes). The main purpose of the study was to explore the impact and related costs of implementing the changes in the BBBEE codes on a sample of JSE listed companies obtained from the Empowerdex Top 100 2015 survey. The sample selected was those companies in the industrial goods and services sector. The methodology used was an exploratory study using semi-structured, in-depth interviews with the executives responsible for BBBEE or transformation, as it sometimes called, in each company. While an interview questionnaire was used, the questions asked were fairly open-ended which allowed the subject to be explored fully in each setting. This enabled the researcher to also understand the practicalities of implementing the BBBEE codes within each company and each industry. The results of the study indicated that most companies found it difficult to maintain their BBBEE ratings, with indicative ratings showing a likely overall average drop of three levels. In addition, further discounting in the rating may result from not meeting the sub-minimum levels of the three priority elements. These elements are; ownership, skills development as well as enterprise and supplier development (ESD). Overall, in terms of the impact and challenges in implementing the new codes, companies found that the new codes were onerous, complex in some instances, vague in others, with a potential for misinterpretation and possible manipulation. ESD was found to be the most challenging of the new elements to implement and likely to have the most impact on companies, whereas skills development, which has been doubled from 3% to 6% of the payroll leviable amount, had the biggest impact in terms of cost as assessed on the new codes. Notwithstanding the perceived challenges, companies acknowledged that BBBEE was not only a moral imperative (Fauconnier and Mathur-Helm, 2008), but also a business imperative (Arya and Bassi, 2009) and a licence to trade in South Africa. The study had four main limitations. Firstly, that companies investigated were selected from the Empowerdex Top 100 most empowered companies 2015 survey, completed in May 2015. Within those, only the ones in the industrial and services sector were included in the study. Secondly, that all companies interviewed, regardless of sector, responded to the questions with respect to the generic scorecard, as no sector charters were enacted at the date of writing the research report. Thirdly, the ability to secure the appropriate number of interviews was key, which may affect the quality of the responses and conclusions reached. Finally, because the new codes were implemented on 1 May 2015, which is less than a year from the date of this research report, there is a limitation that limited information is available on the new codes. The effective implementation date of the new codes, means that very little research is likely to have been conducted on the new codes; or the likely impact they could have on companies; or the critical changes between the old codes (2007) and new codes (2013). The researcher hopes this study will enable greater understanding of the codes and assist listed and other companies in strategic decision-making (Horwitz and Jain, 2011) and implementation of transformation initiatives. Furthermore, issues raised as contentious, confusing or due for improvement can be further researched and possibly used by policy-makers as input to future changes in the codes. Further research can also be conducted three to five years from now when the amended codes have been in place for a period that allows implementation by companies. This can either be conducted using a case study that tracks the BBBEE strategies, initiatives and ratings over that period within one company. Alternatively, the researcher can select any one of the five elements and investigate how it has been implemented in different companies over a specific period. / MT2017

In fulfilment of the requirements for the Master of Management in Finance and Investment at the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management at the University of Witwatersrand Graduate School of Business, 2016 / The increasing number of BB-BEE policies and strategies aimed at supporting SMEs in South Africa is evidence that Black-owned SMEs are important for development of the country. Between 2007 and 2010, the number of SMEs grew by almost 60%, contributing approximately 61% of the country's GDP. In spite of the widespread financial support put in place by government agencies to support them, findings reported that SMEs in South Africa score a relatively high failure rate. Moreover, little is known about the causes of these high failure rates. This thesis aimed at filling the gap in the literature by identifying the risks that South African Black-owned SMEs face. In doing so, Black-owned SME owners/managers were interviewed across various industry sectors. This revealed that although these owners/managers were well educated and skilled, they did not believe that their staff were trained enough. The findings revealed financial risks were still the most prominent risks these SMEs face, which seemingly gave rise to other risk factors such as the lack of access to technological improvements or skilled labour, and their inability to set up or run effective marketing strategic plans. The gap between the supply of and the demand for financial support for Black-owned SMEs could be attributed to a number of factors, including red tape, bureaucracy, corruption, politics and an unstable economy. A number of implications followed from this. For the financial support to reach its target effectively, independent and transparent micro-finance institutions have to be in place. This needs to be coupled with the establishment of a platform for Blackowned SMEs that could be used to market Black-owned SME products and services. Another solution could be the design of SME-aligned skills transfer incubation programmes. Applying the results from this research, one should be careful to consider its limitations because of the small sample size and selection criteria, which imply that these results cannot be generalised beyond the scope of this study. / XL2018

In this study, the sex-role identities adopted by young, middle-aged, and older working females South African were compared. The rationale of the study is based on changes which occurred within South Africa with regards to gender, race, education, as well as work place participation for women. Two hundred females from two South African organisations participated in the study. Two self-report questionnaires were utilised: a demographic questionnaire and Bem’s Sex-Role Inventory. Data was interpreted statistically, by means of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and frequencies. Results revealed that younger women have adopted more masculine characteristics than middle-aged and older females. Results further indicated that black women are more likely to reflect sex-role identity changes on age than white women, given that changes in the South African society many have been more impactful on them. Results on the levels of masculinity amongst the younger group of females are consistent with a study done on working females in India.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Labour, Policy and Globalisation, 2017 / This research presents an investigation of the role played by private corporations in promoting gender equality, using the platinum mining sector in the Rustenburg area as a case study. In evaluating this role the research uses The Mining Charter, a piece of legislation and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to assess the efforts that have been made by Anglo American and Impala Platinum mines. This qualitative study uses an abductive approach and a Marxist feminist theoretical perspective to establish what constitutes the problem of inequality. Relying on data collected through document analysis, which included a review of the Mining Charter, and various company annual reports, coupled with data collected from conducting interviews from September to December 2016, the research has found companies to look at the problem of gender equality from a ‘female employees statistics’ point of view. As such, the problem of equality has ignored the indirect negative impacts mining has on women in the communities in which the mining companies operate. This research understands equality as having two sides, “formal and informal” equality. While efforts by the government, and mining companies have tried to address the part of formal equality through increasing the numbers of females in mining, and improving the general conditions in which they operate, this research finds that there exists a form of “informal equality.” This informal inequality looks at the outcomes of the efforts in reality, and goes beyond the company into society. Mining companies have the ability to address this type of equality through CSR, but this research notes that CSR programs are often not viewed through a gender lens. The study therefore concludes that there is a disjuncture between the perceived results of efforts made by corporations on paper and the outcomes in reality. While corporations can contribute to promoting equality in the workplace, their understanding of equality is skewed and one sided therefore inequality continues to persist. Perhaps if companies use the strategy of gender mainstreaming to address the goal of equality, which involves taking into account the particular problems of women in all facets, then equality can be achieved. / XL2018