Transformational Leadership as a Necessary Style for Gender Parity in South African Organisations: a Perspective of Covid-19 Work Environment

By Maria Matshidiso Kanjere

The book explores gender disparities in South African organisations in terms of gender pay gap and the number of women occupying leadership positions. This is done against the background of prevailing patriarchal culture which is entrenched in many organisations, and which is hard to manage. Nevertheless, Covid-19 responses across different countries has provided the world with the evidence that women are good managers and leaders. This is because women led countries responded better to Covid-19 pandemic as compared to many countries that are led by men. Furthermore, due to lockdowns instituted in many countries, people were forced to work from home. This dispelled the myths that prevented organisations from affording women flexible times to work from home. Hence, the necessity for transformation in organisations.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris UK
• Release date: Apr 13, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664115408

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Copyright © 2021 by MARIA MATSHIDISO KANJERE.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 04/09/2021

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CONTENTS

Dedication

Acknowlegements

Preface

List of Acronyms and Abbreviations

Chapter 1 Covid-19 Work Environment And Its Effect On South African Organisations

1.1. Introduction

1.2. The Work Environment Under Covid-19

1.2.1. Lockdown Alert Level 5

1.2.2. Lockdown Alert Level 4

1.2.3. Lockdown Alert Level 3

1.2.4. Lockdown Alert Level 2

1.2.5. Lockdown Alert Level 1

1.3. The Effect Of Covid-19 On The World Economies

1.4. The Effect Of Covid-19 On The South African Industries And Businesses

1.4.1. The effect of Covid-19 on Small Businesses

1.4.2. The effect of Covid-19 on Tourism Industry

1.4.3. The effect of Covid-19 on the Mining Industry

1.5. Conclusion

Chapter 2 Gender Disparity In South African Organisations Prior To And During Covid-19

2.1. Introduction

2.2. Legislation For Transforming Society And Organisations In South Africa

2.2.1. Constitution of the Republic of South Africa

2.2.2. South Africa’s National Policy Framework for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality

2.2.3. Labour Relations Act No. 66 of 1995

2.2.4. Basic Conditions of Employment Act No. 75 of 1997

2.2.5. Employment Equity Act No. 55 of 1998

2.2.6. Skills Development Act No. 97 of 1998

2.2.7. Skills Development Levies Act 9 of 1999

2.2.8. Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Act 53 of 2003

2.2.8.1. Measurement Elements For B-Bbee Scorecard

2.2.8.2. Compliance in terms of the company size

2.3. The Concept Gender Disparity In Relation To Companies

2.4. The Occurance And Nature Of Disparity In Organisations

2.4.1. Disparity in terms of gender and positions in the organisations

2.4.2. Disparity in terms of race

2.4.3. Disparity in terms of gender pay gap

2.5. Conclusion

Chapter 3 Pervasive Culture In Organisations

3.1. Introduction

3.2. Organisational Culture And Its Inherent Components

3.2.1. Amplified behaviours of leaders

3.2.2. Network of organisational practice

3.2.3. Shared beliefs, values and assumptions

3.2.4. Day-to-day performance

3.2.5. Behaviour of individuals and groups

3.3. Pervasive Culture In Relation To Gender

3.3.1. Low gender diversity organisational culture

3.3.2. High gender diversity organisational culture

3.4. Different Ways Of Changing The Organisational Culture

3.4.1. Work with and within the current cultural situation.

3.4.2. Change behaviours and mind-sets

3.4.3. Focus on a critical few behaviours

3.4.4. Deploy authentic informal leaders

3.4.5. Encourage formal leaders to work as a team

3.4.6. Link behaviours to organisational objectives

3.4.7. Demonstrate impact and progress achieved

3.4.8. Integrate technology and social media to propagate knowledge

3.4.9. Align practical behaviours with efforts

3.4.10. Measure and evaluate success

3.5. An Inclusive Culture As An Ideal For Modern Organisations

3.6. Organisational Climate

3.6.1. Different Ways Of Creating A Positive Gender Sensitive Organisational Climate

3.6.1.1. Equal opportunities for all employees irrespective of gender

3.6.1.2. Flexible work arrangements

3.6.1.3. Fair performance management systems

3.7. Conclusion

Chapter 4 A Need For Transformation And Diversity At Leadership Positions

4.1. Introduction

4.2. Previous Research On Diversity In A Workplace

4.3. Benefits Of The Kaleidoscope Of Talent, Skills And Diverse Workforce

4.3.1. Variety of perspectives

4.3.2. Increased creativity

4.3.3. Better decision making

4.3.4. High innovation

4.3.5. Better company reputation

4.3.6. Increased Profits

4.3.7. Faster problem solving

4.3.8. Higher employee engagement

4.3.9. Reduced employee turnover

4.3.10. Improved hiring results

4.3.11. Higher productivity

4.4. Challenges Of Diversity In A Workplace

4.4.1. Challenge of acceptance and respect

4.4.2. Challenge of different belief systems

4.4.3. Challenge of ethnic and cultural differences

4.4.4. Challenge of gender parity

4.4.5. Challenge of physical and mental abilities

4.4.6. Language and communication challenge

4.4.7. Generation gap challenge

4.5. Ways Of Mananging Diversity In The Workplace With A View Of Bringing About Transformation In Leadership Positions

4.6. Conclusion

Chapter 5 Transformational Leadership Theory And Practice

5.1. Introduction

5.2. Transformational Leadership Theory

5.3. Components Of Transformational Leadership Style

5.3.1. Idealised Influence

5.3.2. Intellectual Stimulation

5.3.3. Individualised Consideration

5.3.4. Inspirational Motivation

5.4. Transformational And Transactional Leadership Styles

5.5. The Downside Of Transformational Leadership

5.6 Conclusion

Chapter 6 Gender Parity Model For Women Empowerment In South African Organisations

6.1. Introduction

6.2. Feminist Theory On Women Empowerment

6.3. Propositions And Pre-Conditions For Gender Parity Model

6.4. Women Empowerment Model Through Transformational Leadership

6.4.1. Identify women who are willing and motivated to take senior management positions

6.4.2. Assign mentors to women

6.4.3. Expose women to leadership responsibilities and training

6.4.4. Give women opportunities to act on vacant or available positions

6.4.5. Prepare women to take senior positions and appoint them when they qualify

6.5. Conclusion

References

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1.1. Coronavirus (Covid-19) Images

Figure 1.2 The Summary of Alert Levels during Lockdown Period

Figure 1.3. Unemployment Rate – Graphical Representation

Figure 2.1. Graphical representation of the flow of public funds to SETAS

Figure 3.1. Graphical representation of organisational culture and its inherent components

Figure 3.2. Graphical Representation of Organizational Climate

Figure 4.1. Benefits of workplace diversity in relation to transformation

Figure 5.1. Graphical representation of the four main components of transformational leadership

Figure 6.1. Countries with the best Coronavirus Responses

Figure 6.2. Cyclical Model of women empowerment in South African organisations

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1.1. Unemployment Rates In South Africa For A Period Of 6 Years

Table 2.1. The new B-BBEE Scorecard

Table 2.2. Percentage of women as board members in the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) listed companies

Table 2.3. Percentage of Chief Financial Officers in the JSE listed companies according to race

Table 3.1. Inclusive culture for an ideal organisation

Table 4.1. Overview of Considerations Regarding Workplace Gender Diversity

Table 4.2. Verbal, Non-verbal and Social behaviours of South African Cultural Groups

Table 5.1. Differences between Transactional and Transformational Leadership

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my mother Dinah Matlou Masango Ausi Nurse who served as an epitome of womanhood and leadership and to all the women who are forever trying to make a difference in their environment.

The book is also dedicated to all those who were affected and infected by Covid-19, the front line carers and families that lost their loved ones.

ACKNOWLEGEMENTS

I just want to thank the Almighty God for preserving my life, and for giving me the strength, wisdom and ability to write this book. I would also like to appreciate the love and support of my family; my husband George, my children-Thato Matsilele, Mpho Mphatso, Tayanda Reatile, my sister Queen Elizabeth Moropa and her husband Jepson Moropa. My appreciation also goes to my in-laws, Kanjere family and our extended family-Turfloop Church of the Nazarene.

I am forever indebted to the students that I have taught through the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and those that I have taught through various Short Learning Programmes. I have learnt to sharpen my leadership skills through my interaction with them. I would also like to thank the Turfloop Graduate School of Leadership staff for their collegiality and expertise. They have contributed a lot towards my career growth. Finally, I would like to thank the Faculty of Management and Law as well as the University of Limpopo for making opportunities for women like myself to grow their careers.

PREFACE

Covid-19 pandemic has altered the way organisations used to do business and conduct themselves on the daily business. It has left in its trail a number of closed businesses and loss of profit. It has on the other side demonstrated that people can work effectively in their home environment. This is against the background wherein women were not afforded opportunities to have flexible work hours so that they could experience a balanced work and home environments.

Women have been denied many opportunities in the past, and yet little has changed so far, because modern organisations like in the olden days, recognise and acknowledge women leadership without fully embracing it. This is depicted in the way in which women are treated in organisations. They occupy lower to middle management levels without being earmarked for the top management positions; only limited number of women get to