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Investigating the management of diversity in the staffroom of former model C schools in Gauteng

M.Ed. (Educational Leadership and Management) / In our dynamic South African society effective leadership is a huge challenge and an important responsibility. It has to be realised that one of the realities that is increasingly imposing itself on socio-politico-economic management all over the world, as globalisation becomes dominant, is the need to manage diversity (Kauzya, 2002:2). School leaders are faced with the challenge of transforming schools to comply with rapidly changing policies to meet the needs of a changing society, and are in a key position to develop a strategy for promoting and managing diversity (Naidu, Joubert, Mestry, Mosoge & Ngcobo, 2008:2). Managing diversity in the workplace is a worldwide phenomenon (Harris, Moran & Moran, 2004:208). Unlike other culturally diverse countries such as the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia which have paid attention to multicultural issues since the 1970s, South Africa is now only beginning to face the challenges brought about by a multicultural approach (Grobler, Wärnich, Carrell, Elbert & Hatfield, 2006:79; Loock, Grobler & Mestry, 2006:16). Managing diversity in South Africa is no easy responsibility due to historical racial segregation and institutionalised separate development, which resulted in a lack of understanding between people from different backgrounds and cultures (Meier, 2007:655; Ngobese, 2004:19-20). If managed well, diversity provides benefits that enhance organisational performance. When ignored or mismanaged, diversity brings challenges and obstacles that can hinder the organisation‟s ability to achieve organisational goals (Cox, 2001:4; Moodian, 2009:36).

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:7575
Date03 June 2013
CreatorsAyres, Judy Louisa
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
RightsUniversity of Johannesburg

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