The relationship between sex roles and preferred leadership
- Authors: Watters, Carrie-Lyn
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Leadership , Sex role in the work environment
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/246455 , uj:25553
- Description: M.Com. (Industrial Psychology) , Abstract: Leadership contributes to the success or failure of any organisation. Good leaders are often said to be masculine in their leadership style and approach, which resulted in the assertion that sex roles (i.e. masculine, feminine, and androgynous) are an influencing factor in leader preference. The present study’s main aim was to investigate the relationship between sex roles and preferred leaders by testing whether an individual’s self-rated sex role has a relationship with his/her preferred leader’s sex role. The study also aimed to confirm previous research stating that femininity is related to a transformational leadership style, and that masculinity is related to a transactional leadership style. Finally, the study aimed to test whether sex was a moderator of the relationship between masculinity, femininity, or androgyny with a transformational or a transactional leadership style. A convenience, non-probability sampling technique was used, resulting in a sample of 243 respondents from car dealerships within and around Gauteng and Cape Town. The Bem Sex-Role Inventory and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X) were utilised in this study. Correlational analysis was used to determine whether an individual’s self-rated sex role was related to that of his/her preferred leader, as well as to determine whether femininity, masculinity, or androgyny is related to a transformational or a transactional leadership style. Regression analysis was used to identify whether an individual’s self-rated sex role can predict that of his/her preferred leader, as well as to identify whether a preferred leader sex role can predict a preference for a transformational or a transactional leadership style. Finally, regression analysis was used to determine whether sex had a moderating effect on the relationship between preferred leader sex role and leadership style. Contrary to the stereotype of car dealerships being a male-dominated environment, the findings indicate that, on average, respondents, through self-rating, identified with the feminine sex role, regardless of their sex (i.e. being born a man or a woman). The findings indicate that an individual’s self-...
- Full Text:
- Authors: Watters, Carrie-Lyn
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Leadership , Sex role in the work environment
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/246455 , uj:25553
- Description: M.Com. (Industrial Psychology) , Abstract: Leadership contributes to the success or failure of any organisation. Good leaders are often said to be masculine in their leadership style and approach, which resulted in the assertion that sex roles (i.e. masculine, feminine, and androgynous) are an influencing factor in leader preference. The present study’s main aim was to investigate the relationship between sex roles and preferred leaders by testing whether an individual’s self-rated sex role has a relationship with his/her preferred leader’s sex role. The study also aimed to confirm previous research stating that femininity is related to a transformational leadership style, and that masculinity is related to a transactional leadership style. Finally, the study aimed to test whether sex was a moderator of the relationship between masculinity, femininity, or androgyny with a transformational or a transactional leadership style. A convenience, non-probability sampling technique was used, resulting in a sample of 243 respondents from car dealerships within and around Gauteng and Cape Town. The Bem Sex-Role Inventory and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X) were utilised in this study. Correlational analysis was used to determine whether an individual’s self-rated sex role was related to that of his/her preferred leader, as well as to determine whether femininity, masculinity, or androgyny is related to a transformational or a transactional leadership style. Regression analysis was used to identify whether an individual’s self-rated sex role can predict that of his/her preferred leader, as well as to identify whether a preferred leader sex role can predict a preference for a transformational or a transactional leadership style. Finally, regression analysis was used to determine whether sex had a moderating effect on the relationship between preferred leader sex role and leadership style. Contrary to the stereotype of car dealerships being a male-dominated environment, the findings indicate that, on average, respondents, through self-rating, identified with the feminine sex role, regardless of their sex (i.e. being born a man or a woman). The findings indicate that an individual’s self-...
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A longitudinal diary study on work engagement, work-family culture, work-home interaction, and psychological availability of women
- Authors: Laba, Karolina
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Women employees , Women employees - Family relationships , Dual-career families , Work and family - Psychological aspects , Psychology, Industrial
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/225725 , uj:22804
- Description: D.Com. (Industrial Psychology) , Abstract: Work engagement has become a topical concern for the 21st century workplace. The reality of the workforce is such that a growing number of dual-career marriages, single parents, co-parenting individuals and individuals who have care responsibilities at home have brought about a dramatic shift in the allocation of time and energy devoted to the work and home domains. The participation of women in the global workplace outnumbers home-centered mothers, and traditional careers that provided economic security through loyalty to the employer. These arrangements are now replaced by time-demanding, often insecure jobs. These dynamics contribute to women disengaging or opting out entirely from the workforce, particularly when faced with the decision of starting a family. As women play a pivotal role in social growth and stability, understanding what contributes to their engagement adds to the productive power of the country’s economy. Mixed reviews have been received about initiatives adopted by organisations to retain and develop women. Supportive work-family cultures as well as positive work and home initiatives have their place in assisting women with the multiple roles and responsibilities that they face. However, organisations still struggle to combine work and home successfully. The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of work engagement for women. The study not only included the work-family culture support, positive work-home interaction and positive home-work interaction constructs as possible predictors for women’s work engagement, but also considered the construct of psychological availability. Studies have documented the benefits of psychological availability, which include being more productive, positive health outcomes and its contribution to employee engagement. The absence of psychological availability could cause disengagement from work...
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- Authors: Laba, Karolina
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Women employees , Women employees - Family relationships , Dual-career families , Work and family - Psychological aspects , Psychology, Industrial
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/225725 , uj:22804
- Description: D.Com. (Industrial Psychology) , Abstract: Work engagement has become a topical concern for the 21st century workplace. The reality of the workforce is such that a growing number of dual-career marriages, single parents, co-parenting individuals and individuals who have care responsibilities at home have brought about a dramatic shift in the allocation of time and energy devoted to the work and home domains. The participation of women in the global workplace outnumbers home-centered mothers, and traditional careers that provided economic security through loyalty to the employer. These arrangements are now replaced by time-demanding, often insecure jobs. These dynamics contribute to women disengaging or opting out entirely from the workforce, particularly when faced with the decision of starting a family. As women play a pivotal role in social growth and stability, understanding what contributes to their engagement adds to the productive power of the country’s economy. Mixed reviews have been received about initiatives adopted by organisations to retain and develop women. Supportive work-family cultures as well as positive work and home initiatives have their place in assisting women with the multiple roles and responsibilities that they face. However, organisations still struggle to combine work and home successfully. The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of work engagement for women. The study not only included the work-family culture support, positive work-home interaction and positive home-work interaction constructs as possible predictors for women’s work engagement, but also considered the construct of psychological availability. Studies have documented the benefits of psychological availability, which include being more productive, positive health outcomes and its contribution to employee engagement. The absence of psychological availability could cause disengagement from work...
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The management of pregnant technical trainees
- Authors: Masvinge, Fortunate
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Women - Employment - South Africa , Work and family - South Africa , Pregnant women - Employment - South Africa , Women employees - South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/225783 , uj:22812
- Description: M.Com. (Human Resource Management) , Abstract: Orientation Despite improvements in the employment of women in South Africa, they remain underrepresented in traditionally male-dominated blue-collar occupations, particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Research has indicated that employers are concerned about hiring young women of childbearing age, for reasons related to pregnancy and maternity. Young women trainees who enter STEM fields during their fertile years (18-35) are more likely to have multiple family responsibilities, which may have an effect on their apprenticeship training. As such, integrating and retaining young women in technical blue-collar work may pose unique challenges in comparison to men, when considering pregnancy and care responsibilities during the course of apprenticeship training. Research purpose The purpose of the study was to investigate, within the South African context, the impact of pregnancy and resultant care responsibilities on the attrition of women trainees in blue-collar STEM occupations, the reasons that underlie the phenomenon, and potential solutions. Motivation for study Pregnancy and care responsibilities are an important reality for working women. It is therefore important to research ways in which organisations can better manage the occurrence of pregnancy in the workplace, in order to facilitate the successful inclusion and retention of women in traditionally male-dominated occupations. Research design A case study research strategy was employed in the present study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 22 participants. Further evidence was acquired through document and record analysis. The data were coded and analysed in a thematic manner, using the ATLAS.ti qualitative data analysis software...
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- Authors: Masvinge, Fortunate
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Women - Employment - South Africa , Work and family - South Africa , Pregnant women - Employment - South Africa , Women employees - South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/225783 , uj:22812
- Description: M.Com. (Human Resource Management) , Abstract: Orientation Despite improvements in the employment of women in South Africa, they remain underrepresented in traditionally male-dominated blue-collar occupations, particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Research has indicated that employers are concerned about hiring young women of childbearing age, for reasons related to pregnancy and maternity. Young women trainees who enter STEM fields during their fertile years (18-35) are more likely to have multiple family responsibilities, which may have an effect on their apprenticeship training. As such, integrating and retaining young women in technical blue-collar work may pose unique challenges in comparison to men, when considering pregnancy and care responsibilities during the course of apprenticeship training. Research purpose The purpose of the study was to investigate, within the South African context, the impact of pregnancy and resultant care responsibilities on the attrition of women trainees in blue-collar STEM occupations, the reasons that underlie the phenomenon, and potential solutions. Motivation for study Pregnancy and care responsibilities are an important reality for working women. It is therefore important to research ways in which organisations can better manage the occurrence of pregnancy in the workplace, in order to facilitate the successful inclusion and retention of women in traditionally male-dominated occupations. Research design A case study research strategy was employed in the present study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 22 participants. Further evidence was acquired through document and record analysis. The data were coded and analysed in a thematic manner, using the ATLAS.ti qualitative data analysis software...
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The relationship between sex roles and psychological availability
- Authors: Mageza, Masase Eve
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Psychology, Industrial , Masculinity , Femininity , Gender identity - Psychological aspects , Sex role - Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/124540 , uj:20929
- Description: Abstract: Every culture emphasises roles and behaviours that are linked to expectations about men and women respectively and that cultures are influenced by socioeconomic factors such as status and/or education. Sex roles focus on the ways of socialisation that culminate in individuals displaying more masculine, feminine, and/or androgynous roles, while psychological availability can contribute to how well people engage at work. Individuals remain in their work roles because they engage in the designated work post. These employees become cognitively observant, physically involved in individual or team tasks, and empathetically connected to others during the performance of their tasks. The objectives of this study are to identify whether the masculine and feminine sex roles that men and women display have an impact on the level of psychological availability they display at work. Furthermore, this study will aim to determine how gender (man and woman) influences the relationship between sex roles and psychological availability. For the purpose of this study, a quantitative cross-sectional approach was selected. The convenience sample of 753 employees (n = 753) were from South African organisations in Gauteng. Participants completed The Biographical questionnaire, The Bem Sex Inventory and Psychological Availability questionnaire. The findings of this study revealed that masculine and feminine sex roles predict psychological availability. In addition, gender moderated the relationship between the feminine sex role and psychological availability. The relationship between femininity and psychological availability was stronger for women compared to men. However, gender did not impact the masculine sex role and psychological availability. Key Words: Masculinity, femininity, androgynous, gender, psychological availability. , M.Com. (Industrial Psychology)
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- Authors: Mageza, Masase Eve
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Psychology, Industrial , Masculinity , Femininity , Gender identity - Psychological aspects , Sex role - Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/124540 , uj:20929
- Description: Abstract: Every culture emphasises roles and behaviours that are linked to expectations about men and women respectively and that cultures are influenced by socioeconomic factors such as status and/or education. Sex roles focus on the ways of socialisation that culminate in individuals displaying more masculine, feminine, and/or androgynous roles, while psychological availability can contribute to how well people engage at work. Individuals remain in their work roles because they engage in the designated work post. These employees become cognitively observant, physically involved in individual or team tasks, and empathetically connected to others during the performance of their tasks. The objectives of this study are to identify whether the masculine and feminine sex roles that men and women display have an impact on the level of psychological availability they display at work. Furthermore, this study will aim to determine how gender (man and woman) influences the relationship between sex roles and psychological availability. For the purpose of this study, a quantitative cross-sectional approach was selected. The convenience sample of 753 employees (n = 753) were from South African organisations in Gauteng. Participants completed The Biographical questionnaire, The Bem Sex Inventory and Psychological Availability questionnaire. The findings of this study revealed that masculine and feminine sex roles predict psychological availability. In addition, gender moderated the relationship between the feminine sex role and psychological availability. The relationship between femininity and psychological availability was stronger for women compared to men. However, gender did not impact the masculine sex role and psychological availability. Key Words: Masculinity, femininity, androgynous, gender, psychological availability. , M.Com. (Industrial Psychology)
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Features that contribute to senior female representation at an organisation
- Authors: Palmer, Alison
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Women executives , Organizational change , Financial services industry - South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/124612 , uj:20939
- Description: Abstract: The Business Women’s Association of South Africa’s Women in Leadership Census 2015 reported that only 34 of 273 JSE-listed companies and 20 state-owned enterprises had 25% or more female representation at executive manager- and board level (BWASA, 2015). Research for this minor-dissertation was carried out in one of these organisations. The gendered nature of organisations and an organisation’s influence on its employees’ gendered behaviour in the working environment, have not yet been examined in the South African financial services context. There is, therefore, a need to investigate organisations that appear to exhibit both traditional and non-traditional gendered behaviour, to better understand the underlying factors and organisational features that contribute to this behaviour. The aim of this study was to identify the organisational features that contributed to a high representation of women executives in an organisation operating within the male-dominated South African financial services industry. A case study strategy was utilised. The unit of analysis was senior and executive managers. A Glaserian grounded theory approach was employed, and the use of semi-structured interviews allowed for the emergence of themes that could be further interrogated, ultimately developing theory to explain the phenomenon being studied. Following Bhaskar’s (2008) critical realist stratified ontology, it was found that a key factor was the composition of the candidate pool from which executive positions had been filled. Through a process of retroduction, two features were identified as having had an impact on the candidate pool, the first being the organisation’s attractiveness as perceived by those outside the organisation. The second feature that influenced the number of women at executive level at FS Org was the role of gatekeeper played by the CEO. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge regarding the gendered organisation, and identifies features that have promoted women’s advancement in this specific case. Recommendations are provided for further research to gain insight into organisational features across industries that contribute to the representation of women at executive management level. , M.Phil.
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- Authors: Palmer, Alison
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Women executives , Organizational change , Financial services industry - South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/124612 , uj:20939
- Description: Abstract: The Business Women’s Association of South Africa’s Women in Leadership Census 2015 reported that only 34 of 273 JSE-listed companies and 20 state-owned enterprises had 25% or more female representation at executive manager- and board level (BWASA, 2015). Research for this minor-dissertation was carried out in one of these organisations. The gendered nature of organisations and an organisation’s influence on its employees’ gendered behaviour in the working environment, have not yet been examined in the South African financial services context. There is, therefore, a need to investigate organisations that appear to exhibit both traditional and non-traditional gendered behaviour, to better understand the underlying factors and organisational features that contribute to this behaviour. The aim of this study was to identify the organisational features that contributed to a high representation of women executives in an organisation operating within the male-dominated South African financial services industry. A case study strategy was utilised. The unit of analysis was senior and executive managers. A Glaserian grounded theory approach was employed, and the use of semi-structured interviews allowed for the emergence of themes that could be further interrogated, ultimately developing theory to explain the phenomenon being studied. Following Bhaskar’s (2008) critical realist stratified ontology, it was found that a key factor was the composition of the candidate pool from which executive positions had been filled. Through a process of retroduction, two features were identified as having had an impact on the candidate pool, the first being the organisation’s attractiveness as perceived by those outside the organisation. The second feature that influenced the number of women at executive level at FS Org was the role of gatekeeper played by the CEO. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge regarding the gendered organisation, and identifies features that have promoted women’s advancement in this specific case. Recommendations are provided for further research to gain insight into organisational features across industries that contribute to the representation of women at executive management level. , M.Phil.
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Graduate identity development in the first year of work
- Authors: Dunne, Ilka N.
- Date: 2013-12-09
- Subjects: College graduates - Employment , College graduates - Life skills guides , Professional employees - Training of , Organizational learning
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:7828 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/8721
- Description: D.Phil. (Personal and Professional Leadership) , For most graduates, entry into the working world is the start of everything they have aimed for through school and university. (Holden & Hamblett, 2007). They arrive with an intense desire to prove themselves, along with often unrealistic expectations of what the organisation will deliver. The organisation, driven by deadlines, profits, and promises to shareholders, has its own aims, and all this is situated “in a time of vast changes – changes so epochal that they may dwarf those experiences in earlier eras… changes that call for new educational forms and processes.” (Gardner, 2006, p.11). Add to this South Africa’s specific issues around quality of education, historical inequalities, and culturally disparate workforces, and you have multiple reasons for why both business and graduates could “fail to achieve their real goals” (Schein, 1964, p. 68). In order to better support graduates, it is necessary to more deeply understand the nature of the graduate transition from university to the world of work. As identity is critical to the process of adapting to new professional roles, I focused on the graduate identity journey in the first year of work (Ibarra, 1999). Using constructivist grounded theory, I tracked a group of 20 graduates over a one-year period, in a graduate development programme in a financial insitiution in Johannesburg, South Africa. Comparing the data I collected to Holmes’s (2001) Claim-affirmation Model of Emergent Identity, I provide insight into the identity issues that graduates need to overcome during this first year, how these issues impact their self-esteem, personal agency, and self-efficacy, and which coping methods they choose to employ during this time. The results suggest that by providing graduates with a liminal temporary identity, the graduate identity, they are better able to manage the transition from student identity to professional identity. The temporary graduate identity allows them to play with their identity rather than work at their identity while on the graduate programme (Ibarra & Petriglieri, 2011). In order to create the temporary graduate identity it is suggested that graduate development programmes need to be reconceptualised as rites of passage, filled with ritualised activities that enable graduates to experience communitas with other graduates on the programme (Turner, 2008). Various graduate rituals are suggested to this end. Within the graduate rite of passage, graduates need to be supported in developing their interpersonal, intrapersonal and technical skills. To help graduates develop deeper insight into self and others, a graduate self development model is proposed. In order to support the development of technical skills, rotational technical skills programmes and fixed role programmes are explored. A framework is suggested for how to develop rotational programmes that maximise the pros and minimise the cons of rotational programmes. In order for the graduate programme managers to best support graduates during their time on the programme I recommend that they need to become more sensitive to the needs of the graduates, I adapt the graduate self development model and offer this as a tool for programme managers self development. This model will help graduate programme managers to begin to uncover some of their own stereotypes and unconcious biases, and more deeply develop their coaching, mentoring and supporting skills. Many of the graduate issues that arise while on the graduate programme involve graduates and managers leaping to conclusions based on faulty assumptions about each other. This often results in an impasse between graduates and their managers. I suggest that graduate programme managers take on the added role of mediator in order to point out to graduates, and their managers, how they might be misconstruing each other, therefore helping to avert some of the issues graduates experience. The findings of this study therefore have implications for graduate programme managers, and provides insight into how to better design and develop future graduate programmes.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Dunne, Ilka N.
- Date: 2013-12-09
- Subjects: College graduates - Employment , College graduates - Life skills guides , Professional employees - Training of , Organizational learning
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:7828 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/8721
- Description: D.Phil. (Personal and Professional Leadership) , For most graduates, entry into the working world is the start of everything they have aimed for through school and university. (Holden & Hamblett, 2007). They arrive with an intense desire to prove themselves, along with often unrealistic expectations of what the organisation will deliver. The organisation, driven by deadlines, profits, and promises to shareholders, has its own aims, and all this is situated “in a time of vast changes – changes so epochal that they may dwarf those experiences in earlier eras… changes that call for new educational forms and processes.” (Gardner, 2006, p.11). Add to this South Africa’s specific issues around quality of education, historical inequalities, and culturally disparate workforces, and you have multiple reasons for why both business and graduates could “fail to achieve their real goals” (Schein, 1964, p. 68). In order to better support graduates, it is necessary to more deeply understand the nature of the graduate transition from university to the world of work. As identity is critical to the process of adapting to new professional roles, I focused on the graduate identity journey in the first year of work (Ibarra, 1999). Using constructivist grounded theory, I tracked a group of 20 graduates over a one-year period, in a graduate development programme in a financial insitiution in Johannesburg, South Africa. Comparing the data I collected to Holmes’s (2001) Claim-affirmation Model of Emergent Identity, I provide insight into the identity issues that graduates need to overcome during this first year, how these issues impact their self-esteem, personal agency, and self-efficacy, and which coping methods they choose to employ during this time. The results suggest that by providing graduates with a liminal temporary identity, the graduate identity, they are better able to manage the transition from student identity to professional identity. The temporary graduate identity allows them to play with their identity rather than work at their identity while on the graduate programme (Ibarra & Petriglieri, 2011). In order to create the temporary graduate identity it is suggested that graduate development programmes need to be reconceptualised as rites of passage, filled with ritualised activities that enable graduates to experience communitas with other graduates on the programme (Turner, 2008). Various graduate rituals are suggested to this end. Within the graduate rite of passage, graduates need to be supported in developing their interpersonal, intrapersonal and technical skills. To help graduates develop deeper insight into self and others, a graduate self development model is proposed. In order to support the development of technical skills, rotational technical skills programmes and fixed role programmes are explored. A framework is suggested for how to develop rotational programmes that maximise the pros and minimise the cons of rotational programmes. In order for the graduate programme managers to best support graduates during their time on the programme I recommend that they need to become more sensitive to the needs of the graduates, I adapt the graduate self development model and offer this as a tool for programme managers self development. This model will help graduate programme managers to begin to uncover some of their own stereotypes and unconcious biases, and more deeply develop their coaching, mentoring and supporting skills. Many of the graduate issues that arise while on the graduate programme involve graduates and managers leaping to conclusions based on faulty assumptions about each other. This often results in an impasse between graduates and their managers. I suggest that graduate programme managers take on the added role of mediator in order to point out to graduates, and their managers, how they might be misconstruing each other, therefore helping to avert some of the issues graduates experience. The findings of this study therefore have implications for graduate programme managers, and provides insight into how to better design and develop future graduate programmes.
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