Year: 2000
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to determine women's perceptions and choices of \ndifferent categories of occupations and the reasons for such choices. Since the \ninstallation of the first democratic post apartheid government in South Africa, national \npolicy has advanced women's rights. Affirmative action has opened up opportunities \npreviously closed to women, but there is little research documenting changes in career \ntrends. The influence of race, gender, social and political changes on perceptions and \nchoices of occupations of women in the country is not known. This study has focused \non African and Indian females in the 15 to 60 age range in the greater Durban area. \nWomen born between 1940 and 1985 have experience of the pre- and post apartheid \nera, and therefore changes in perceptions and choices could be investigated. A survey \nquestionnaire was administered to 390 female learners in seven former Indian schools. \nSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 African and Indian women; six \ndaughters in non - traditional occupations and six mothers in traditional occupations. \nThe results from the survey and interviews suggest that women have a strong sense of \nempowerment and do not regard gender as a barrier to occupational choices. A \nlimited number of occupations were categorized as suitable for men only, while the \nmajority were deemed suitable for both men and women. Survey data indicated that \nAfrican learners were more conservative in their choices than Indian learners. \nInterviews with the older women however, revealed that African women were more \npositive about opportunities open to them in the new South Africa. Detailed family \nprofiles suggest that socio - economic factors rather than parental influence, impacted \non decision-making patterns. The unique experiences of women in this country, who \nhave been subject to political and social pressures of the apartheid policy and the \nrapid change of the post apartheid era, must be documented before any theoretical \npositions can be articulated about the career development of South African women. \nThis study has contributed to research on the career development of women by \nproviding some insight into how a sector of African and Indian women perceive and \ncategorize occupations.
Author: Zaiboonnisha. Naidoo
Language: English
Subfield: Applied Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2290353335