Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
Symbolic violence as an inhibiting factor to women's career advancement amongst middle and senior managers
Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2025.
Saved in:
| Other Authors: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University of Pretoria
2026
|
| Subjects: | |
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867613598838161408 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Pieterse, Thea |
| author_browse | Pieterse, Thea |
| author_facet | Pieterse, Thea |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © 2025 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
| description | Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/109144 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:38:42.081Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/109144 Symbolic violence as an inhibiting factor to women's career advancement amongst middle and senior managers Pieterse, Thea ichelp@gibs.co.za Jili, Thokozile UCTD Symbolic violence Social capital Gender inequality Leadership development Sponsorship Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2025. This study examines how symbolic violence functions as an inhibiting factor in women’s career advancement within South Africa’s private sector, focusing on middle and senior management. Despite progressive labour legislation and corporate governance frameworks designed to promote equity and inclusion, women, particularly women of colour, remain significantly underrepresented in executive leadership roles. Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu’s framework of capital, habitus, and field, the research explores how structural, cultural, and developmental dynamics interact to reinforce systemic exclusion and maintain organisational hierarchies. A qualitative, interpretivist methodology was employed, incorporating semi-structured interviews with sixteen (16) managers across diverse industries, age groups, and racial backgrounds. Through narrative thematic analysis, five dominant themes emerged: (1) structural and systemic barriers, (2) social and cultural exclusion, (3) developmental and sponsorship deficits, (4) inhibiting organisational culture and norms, and (5) governance, policy, and accountability gaps. Findings reveal that women often encounter subtle bias, constrained access to influential networks, and implicit pressure to conform to masculine leadership norms. Advancement is frequently determined by social capital and sponsorship rather than capability or performance. The study contributes to the literature on leadership, diversity, and organisational sociology by contextualising symbolic violence within South Africa’s private sector. It offers practical recommendations for corporate leaders, policymakers, and governance bodies to disrupt entrenched power dynamics and cultivate equitable, inclusive leadership pipelines. Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) MBA Unrestricted Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) SDG-05: Gender equality 2026-03-23T09:15:16Z 2026-03-23T09:15:16Z 2026-05-05 2025 Mini Dissertation * A2025 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/109144 en © 2025 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | UCTD Symbolic violence Social capital Gender inequality Leadership development Sponsorship Symbolic violence as an inhibiting factor to women's career advancement amongst middle and senior managers |
| title | Symbolic violence as an inhibiting factor to women's career advancement amongst middle and senior managers |
| title_full | Symbolic violence as an inhibiting factor to women's career advancement amongst middle and senior managers |
| title_fullStr | Symbolic violence as an inhibiting factor to women's career advancement amongst middle and senior managers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Symbolic violence as an inhibiting factor to women's career advancement amongst middle and senior managers |
| title_short | Symbolic violence as an inhibiting factor to women's career advancement amongst middle and senior managers |
| title_sort | symbolic violence as an inhibiting factor to women s career advancement amongst middle and senior managers |
| topic | UCTD Symbolic violence Social capital Gender inequality Leadership development Sponsorship |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/109144 |