Exploring the progression of women in senior management positions at an open distance e-learning institution in Gauteng

Abstract

Women’s progression and participation in senior management power structures is very limited in higher education institutions. Moreover, the prevalence of progressive laws that seek to promote women progression in South Africa is not an adequate reflection of the efforts that still need to be undertaken in this regard. The purpose of this study is to explore the progression of women to senior management positions at an open distance electronic learning (ODeL) institution in Gauteng Province in order to highlight the inherent power structures and institutional dynamics that limit the progression of women as well as suggest measures which can be put in place to enhance the progression of women to senior management positions. This qualitative study adopted the interpretative phenomenological analysis research design approach for obtaining relevant information from the lived experiences of the participants. Data was collected through individual semi-structured interviews held with a sample size of 25 purposively sampled participants who fulfilled the researcher’s pre-determined selection criteria. Thematic data analysis was utilised to process and categorise the verbatim interview-based information elicited from the participants. The findings of the study revealed the fundamental need for implementing laws, employment equity policies and human resource recruitment processes that promote the progression of women to senior-level management positions.

Kakaretso ya basadi le go kgatha tema ka dibopegong tsa taolo maemong a godimo go mo maemong a fase kudu ka gare ga ditheo tsa thuto ya godimo. Go feta fao, go ata ga melao ya kakaretso yeo e nyakago go matlafatsa kakaretso ya basadi ka Afrika Borwa ga e fe seswantsho se se lekanego sa maitapiso ao a sa ntsego a swanetse go dirwa mabapi le maemo a. Maikemisetso a nyakisiso ye ke go nyakisisa kakaretso ya basadi mesomong ya taolo maemong a godimo ka setheong sa thuto ya inthanete ya bokgole bjo bo bulegilego (ODeL) ka Profenseng ya Gauteng go tsweletsa dibopego tsa taolo tsa tlhago le diphetogo tsa setheo tseo di laolago kakaretso ya basadi gammogo le go sisinya magato ao a ka bewago go matlafatsa kakaretso ya basadi ka gare ga maemo a taolo maemong a godimo. Nyakisiso ye ya khwalithethifi e amogetse mokgwa wa tlhathollo ya tshekatsheko ya tiragalo ya nyakisiso ya tlhamo ya go hwetsa tshedimoso ya maleba go tswa maitemogelong a batswasehlabelo. Datha e kgobokeditswe ka dipoledisano tsa motho ka o tee ka o tee tseo di sa rulaganywago ka botlalo tseo di swerwego ka sampole ya batswasehlabelo ya bogolo bja 25 bao ba tserwego sampole ka nepo bao ba kgotsofaditsego dikritheria tsa kgetho tsa monyakisisi tseo di laeditswego pele. Tshekatsheko ya datha ya thematiki e somisitswe go prosesa le go hlopha tshedimoso ye e theilwego godimo ga poledisano ya ntsu ka ntsu (verbatim) yeo e hweditswego go tswa go batswasehlabelo. Dikutullo tsa nyakisiso ye di utollotse tlhokego ya motheo ya go tsenya tirisong melao, melawana ya tekatekano ya mesomo le ditshepediso tsa go thwala methopo ya basomi tseo di tswetsago pele kakaretso ya basadi gore ba akaretswe ka maemong a taolo a maemo a godimo.

Isencane kakhulu inqubekela phambili kanye nokubamba iqhaza kwabesifazane ekuphatheni izikhundla ezinhlakeni eziphezulu ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukusabalala kwemithetho ebhekele inqubekela phambili eyakhelwe ukukhuthaza inqubekela phambili yabesifazane eNingizimu Afrika akuzibonisi ngokwanele izinto okusadingeka ukuba zenziwe mayelana nalokhu. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo ukuhlola inqubekela phambili yabantu besifazane ekuphatheni ezikhundleni eziphezulu esikhungweni sokufunda nanoma ukuphi (ODeL) eSifundazweni sase-Gauteng ukuze kugqanyiswe amandla adalwa yilokhu kanye nokuguquka kwesikhungo okunqunda inqubekela phambili kwabesifazane kanjalo nokuphakamisa izindlela ezingasetshenziswa ukuze kube nenqubekela phambili kwabesifazane ekuphatheni ezikhundleni eziphezulu. Lolu cwaningo lwenziwe ngokusebenzisa indlela yokuhlaziya iqophelo kusetshenziswa isimo esingajwayelekile ukuze kutholakale ulwazi olufanele kubabambiqhaza asebeke babhekana nesimo okukhulunywa ngaso. Idatha iqoqwa ngokwenza uhlelo oluqale lwahlelwa ngaphambi kokuqaliswa ukuze kuxoxiswane nomuntu ngamunye kubabambiqhaza abangama-25 nabakwazile ukufezekisa isifiso somcwaningi. Lapha kusetshenziswe indlela yokuhlaziywa kwezihlokwana ukuze kucutshungulwe futhi kuhlelwe uhlelo lokuthola ulwazi ngezinkulumongxoxo nababambiqhaza. Imiphumela yalolu cwaningo iveze ukuthi kunesidingo esibalulekile sokuqaliswa kokusebenza kwemithetho, izinqubomgomo zokuqashwa ngokulingana kanye nezindlela zokuqasha abasebenzi ngokubhekelela inqubekela phambili yabantu besifazane ekuphatheni ezikhundleni eziphezulu.