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Lifelong learning and the advancement of career opportunities for women in the corporate sector
Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2015.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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University of Pretoria
2015
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| _version_ | 1867613464705368064 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Pillay, Venitha |
| author_browse | Pillay, Venitha |
| author_facet | Pillay, Venitha |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © 2015 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 | Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2015. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/49237 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:36:34.044Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publishDateRange | 2015 |
| publishDateSort | 2015 |
| 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:2263/49237 Lifelong learning and the advancement of career opportunities for women in the corporate sector Pillay, Venitha Dosunmu, Akinola George UCTD Lifelong Learning Career Advancement Women in the Workplace Corporate Sector Gender Equality Professional Development Workplace Training Women’s Career Progression Education theses SDG-04 SDG-04: Quality education Education theses SDG-05 SDG-05: Gender equality Education theses SDG-08 SDG-08: Decent work and economic growth Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2015. This study investigates the way in which lifelong learning influences the career progression of women in the corporate sector. The two key concepts that underpin this study are lifelong learning and human capital development (HCD). These concepts were used to understand women’s career choices and professional advancement with the goal of enhancing learning for the benefit of the individual, the organisation and society. This approach is thus premised on an understanding that access to learning is critical to HCD, which is a key factor if an organisation is to improve its performance. This comparative study used a mixed method research design. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with senior women managers and questionnaires were administered to junior workers at a mobile telecommunications network in Nigeria and South Africa. Three major themes emerged from the analysis of the findings. Firstly, with respect to career choice, the findings revealed that the decisions women make when choosing a career are influenced by support from families and friends. It was also found that the communication sector supported their aspirations for career development. Secondly, the findings revealed that internal motivation in terms of a desire for rapid promotion, a large income and the flexibility and opportunities to change jobs if the women wished to do so help to determine their job satisfaction. Thirdly, the findings point to the importance of lifelong learning for women as it assists in bridging gaps in income, entering a strong organisational culture, accessing senior management positions and, thus, achieving their goals as women. It is also possible that continuous learning in the form of opportunities to improve qualifications and skills may offer a buffer against gender discrimination and may create pathways for women to build their careers. In sum, access to promotion, a supportive environment and good remuneration were key factors for job satisfaction. Perhaps the most abiding idea that emerges from the data is that the women in this study have a strong sense of ambition. Contrary to popular belief that women are not ambitious, the women in this study show that they have strong career aspirations. They did not perceive the fact of being a woman to be a determinant in their ambitions. In addition to this, the study makes a strong case for the value of lifelong learning, whether formal or informal, as a mechanism for women in the corporate sector to build their career opportunities. dzm2025 Education Management and Policy Studies Unrestricted SDG-04: Quality education SDG-05: Gender equality SDG-08: Decent work and economic growth 2015-08-03T10:21:32Z 2015-08-03T10:21:32Z 2015-09-02 2015 Thesis Dosunmu, AG 2015, Lifelong learning and the advancement of career opportunities for women in the corporate sector, PhD thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/49237> http://hdl.handle.net/2263/49237 en © 2015 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 Lifelong Learning Career Advancement Women in the Workplace Corporate Sector Gender Equality Professional Development Workplace Training Women’s Career Progression Education theses SDG-04 SDG-04: Quality education Education theses SDG-05 SDG-05: Gender equality Education theses SDG-08 SDG-08: Decent work and economic growth Lifelong learning and the advancement of career opportunities for women in the corporate sector |
| title | Lifelong learning and the advancement of career opportunities for women in the corporate sector |
| title_full | Lifelong learning and the advancement of career opportunities for women in the corporate sector |
| title_fullStr | Lifelong learning and the advancement of career opportunities for women in the corporate sector |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lifelong learning and the advancement of career opportunities for women in the corporate sector |
| title_short | Lifelong learning and the advancement of career opportunities for women in the corporate sector |
| title_sort | lifelong learning and the advancement of career opportunities for women in the corporate sector |
| topic | UCTD Lifelong Learning Career Advancement Women in the Workplace Corporate Sector Gender Equality Professional Development Workplace Training Women’s Career Progression Education theses SDG-04 SDG-04: Quality education Education theses SDG-05 SDG-05: Gender equality Education theses SDG-08 SDG-08: Decent work and economic growth |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/49237 |