Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Worldwide trends indicate that women are increasing their engagement in the labour market. The Businesswomen’s Association of South Africa (BWASA) 2010 census shows that there has been an increase in female labour participation (BWASA 2010). Although the levels are increasing, participation at management and executive levels requires attention. According to the Catalyst census conducted in the United States in 2010, 15,7% of all board level positions in the Fortune 500 companies were held by women (Xu, 2011). The BWASA 2011 census reports that 15,8% of directors and 21,6% of executive managers are women. Some of the key reasons cited for this poor inclusion rate are: the persistence of the glass ceiling barrier in many cases; differences in gender socialisation and language styles; gender stereotyping; the old boys’ club at the top level; ineffective operational and line experience; differences in male and female leadership styles; and the preference of some women for entrepreneurial opportunities over corporate careers (BWASA, 2011). Female leaders in male-dominated environments deal with specific occupational stressors, such as gender role stereotyping, and work-related sex discrimination (Long, Kahn & Schutz, 1992). Given the vastness of the subject of stress, the intention with this study was to narrow the scrutiny through the lens of role stress in order to provide insight into the impact of coaching on female leaders in a male-dominated environment. Seven women holding management positions in the male-dominated industry of earthmoving equipment were interviewed in this study. They were requested to share their personal experiences and perceptions about working in a male-dominated industry and the related stressors and challenges they face. The literature indicates that while progress has been made in terms of female growth and advancement in the workplace, there are still barriers; and organisations are required to review the organisational culture, strategy and structures to allow for the differing needs and leadership styles that women bring to the corporate environment (Cornish, 2007). Men cannot be held solely responsible for the lack of female advancement, as there is a level of ownership that women must take for personal growth, training, education and advancement. This study has found that there are unique challenges and stressors that act as barriers to female advancement. The findings also indicate that through leadership tools, such as coaching, women equip themselves with growing self-awareness and self-knowledge that may assist them in dealing with their stressors, and in implementing meaningful strategies, such as work/life balance, more effective management of their relationships, and understanding and knowing how to deal with gender stereotyping. This study was limited to seven participants in one organisation in South Africa. In future studies of this nature, researchers may wish to examine the effects of coaching in other industries and on a larger sample, and may wish to include the variable of race, which was not part of the scope of this study. The body of knowledge related to the long-term impact of coaching on self-awareness and related changes in behaviour would also be of interest.

Mémoire (M.P.M.O.)--Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, 1985. / Document électronique également accessible en format PDF. CaQCU

The general purpose of this study was to determine the impact that the match of mentor and mentee had on the success of the mentoring relationship. The leadership style of the mentor and the reporting style of the mentee were determined and effectiveness of the match was determined. This was done in order to determine the impact of the match between mentor and mantee on the quality of the mentoring relationship. The study was conducted within a local government milieu with a sample of 34 mentors and 40 mentees, thus a total of 40 mentoring pairs. These participants were all part of a formal mentorship programme within the organisation. The findings indicated that when leadership and reporting styles of mentoring pairs are complementary it will not have a significant effect on the success of the mentoring relationship. It furthermore suggests that careful consideration should be given in selecting participants before initiating mentorship programmes. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

The author presents original research findings on the subject of the impact of a youth mentoring program, Fresh Start, on a group of at-risk adolescents in the United States. The article opens with an introduction and overview of the subject of youth mentoring, and proceeds to a review of the literature that describes types of mentoring and the varied outcomes mentoring programs have been documented to have on target populations. The literature also explains the concept of at-risk adolescents, and explains how and why mentoring programs are believed to be effective interventions for working with this population. The author then presents the methodology, research design, and procedures that were used for the study, and identifies the organization that served as the subject of the study. The researcher explained that data were collected from three distinct participant groups: students, teachers, and parents. The researcher documents the data collection and analysis techniques, and reports the results. Based on the study conducted, the researcher concluded that the Fresh Start mentoring intervention influenced statistically significant positive outcomes for participants with respect to the at-risk students’ behaviour and academic performance. Taking this conclusion into consideration, the researcher reflected upon the components of a mentoring program that are most likely to predict academic and social success for students who have been deemed at-risk, and offered recommendations for future research and program development. / Sociology / D. Phil.(Sociology )

Thesis (MTech (Human Resource Management)-- Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2009 / Learnerships, which are embedded in the skills development strategy for South Africa, have been heralded as the panacea for all shortcomings experienced in the labour market and poverty alleviation in society. Learnerships are vocational education and training programmes, and are purported to fast track acquisition of qualifications for predominantly lower and unskilled workers, equipping them with knowledge, skills, attitudes and experience. At the same time learnerships afford learners an opportunity to enhance their individual employability potential by obtaining a qualification on successful completion of a learnership programme. Anecdotal evidence, however, suggests that learnerships have not been able to deliver on some of its main objectives such as improved employability and living standards of learners. The Department of Labour has placed prominence on quantities and focus on meeting targeted quotas, while insufficient emphasis is placed on efficacy of learnership programmes in terms of its benefits for individual learners. This study investigates opinions of learners who are enrolled in a learnership programme in order to examine their perceptions of a learnership qualification as an enabler for personally enhanced employability and consequent improved living standards. A mixed methods approach was used for the research study in the form of a quantitative survey questionnaire, followed by a qualitative study which used focus group interviews.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Technology: Fashion at the Durban University of Technology, 2013. / Due to the high levels of unemployment in Durban South Africa, the New Venture Creation (NVC) groups I coached/mentored were seeking to become self-employed, to find social and economic independence. I have observed that many of the people in my NVC groups seemed to lack, self-confidence and self-esteem in the start-up process of their business. These lacunae pose a problem, as they are all necessary if one wants to create a viable, sustainable and profitable business. The reason that I coach these emerging entrepreneurs is to assist in building their self-confidence and self-esteem so that they have the courage to “go for it”. The problem I have sought to address in this research is: How do I influence emerging entrepreneurs to become sufficiently self-confident to be able to design, establish and sustain their own employment and employment for others? I work on the assumption that most people have the capacity to be self-employed. I have used autoethnography with action research to describe the interventions that I initiated, report on their implementation, as well as the evolution of new perceptions and understandings that developed as a result. By using my own and the participants visual data with still images and video with visual narrative I demonstrate the evidence of my living theory and self-study to influence creative economic independence in others and reflect critically on what has been done and achieved, and critically assess the way forward. I verbally explained the ethical issue of obtaining consent to use names and photographs in my study to the participants. My explanation was followed by obtaining written consent from the five key participants and others in the pictorial data. / M

No description available.

This study examines the conditions for successful online mentoring in order to develop writing skills in English in a workplace setting. Chapter 1 gives the background and context of the study. Problems to be addressed in the study and the aims, objectives, hypotheses and their rationale are presented. This is followed by testing procedures, research design, sources of data and research procedures. In Chapter 2, the literature review supports the hypotheses on the need for collaboration in materials development and delivery, mentoring relationships, motivation and computer and Internet efficacy. Chapter 3 presents the findings from the case study bringing into focus problems that would jeopardise a mentoring programme if training providers do not pay attention to the hypotheses. The findings are collated and the hypotheses are confirmed. Conditions for successful online mentoring are spelt out in Chapter 4. The study concludes that online mentoring works once the conditions are properly followed. / English Studies / M.A. (TESOL)

The South African government, in an attempt to accelerate economic growth and development, has identified the SMME sector and entrepreneurs as a vehicle capable of bringing about this change. Unfortunately, this growth has been stifled due to the high failure rate of entrepreneurial businesses in the SMME sector. A possible solution for SMMEs and entrepreneurs is the introduction of mentoring. Mentoring entrepreneurs is the function of nurturing and supporting entrepreneurs by providing them with professional skills development and moral support in an attempt to positively impact on the business's sustainability. The study is the first of its kind in that it relates specifically to entrepreneurship mentors. This study empirically endeavours to determine the basic profile of entrepreneurship mentors in South Africa and their skills sets. The study aims to represent the importance of the skills as represented in the model and to understand the entrepreneurship mentoring environment in South Africa. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study is divided into two major parts: a theoretical research of two knowledge transferring methods headed by a discussion on knowledge and learning, and a case study analysing the presence of mentoring within traditional apprenticeships at carpenter workshops in Germany. The two methods on knowledge transfer are mentoring and the cognitive apprenticeship model, whereas each of the models is discussed in terms of the individual characteristics present and techniques used within the relationship of the parties present. In the past, both methods have been established in modern business organisations to enhance knowledge creation, transfer and archiving though many approaches have failed due to mistakes in the basic conceptual interpretation or lack of support. The question, which underlined this research project, focused on whether positive aspects of the methods or the methods themselves have already been incorporated in the organisational culture of small to medium sized enterprises. Thus, the research explored whether knowledge transferral methods, and particularly mentoring, is apparent within the organisational structure of small to medium sized enterprises and in Germany and whether the size of the company has an influence on the presence of mentoring aspects in the businesses. With particular focus on mentoring, the research has shown that no aspects relating to mentoring have been incorporated. Even though some answers pointed to a correlation in between business size and the incorporation of aspects, no real correlation could be proven. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie is in twee hoofonderafdelings verdeel: 'n teoretiese ondersoek van twee metodes van kennisoordrag ingelei deur 'n bespreking van kennis en leer; en 'n gevalletudie wat 'n ontleding doen van die teenwoordigheid van mentorskap binne tradisionee vakleerlingskappe by skrynwerkerswerkswinkels in Duitsland. Die twee metodes van kennisoordrag is mentorskap en die kognitiewe vakleerlingskapsmodel en elk van die modelle word bespreek na aanleiding van die individuele kenmerke wat teenwoordig is en tegnieke wat gebruik word binne die verhouding van die partye wat teenwoordig is. In die verlede is beide metodes in moderne sakeorganisasies daargestel om die skep, oordrag en bewaring van kennis te verbeter, hoewel baie benaderings misluk het weens foute in die basiese konseptuele interpretasie of gebrek aan ondersteuning. Die vraag onderliggend aan beide navorsingsprojek fokus op positiewe aspekte van die metodes of die metodes self reeds geinkorporeer is in die organisasiekultuur van klein tot medium grootte ondernemings. Die navorsing het dus ondersoek of metodes van kennisoordrag, en veral mentorskap, duidelik is binne die organisasiestruktuur van klein tot medium groote ondernemings in Duitsland en of die grootte van die maatskappy 'n invloed het op die teenwoordigheid van mentorskapsaspekte in die besigheid. Met spesifieke fokus op mentorskap het die navorsing getoon dat geen aspekte van mentorskap geinkorporeer is nie. Selfs waar sommige antwoorde 'n korrelasie aangetoon het tussen die grootte van die besigheid en die inkorporering van aspekte, kon geen werklike korrolasie bewys word nie.