Transformation in the forestry sector and its implication for women in Zululand
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Date
2017
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University of Zululand
Abstract
In post-Apartheid South Africa, transformation has afforded business opportunities for women to be involved as entrepreneurs. Stimulated by the forestry Charter, the forestry industry has been a major recipient of these entrepreneurs. While the Forestry Charter is succeeding in providing business opportunities for women, the work of sociologists, such as, Talcott Parsons, Marx and Engels and the Feminist perspective provide an understanding of the challenges faced by women in taking on social roles hitherto reserved for men in a patriarchal society. Feminist perspectives have shown how male dominance and the monopoly of the affairs of the state and the social division of labour relegated women to the households. This has often created obstacles for women in society. However, while modern social policies have begun to provide mechanisms of redress, the exclusion of women pervades. The exclusion of women from the forestry sector, which is regarded as an arena for men, mirrors other forms of marginalization and domination of women. This was the basis for the Beijing conference‘s recommendation for women‘s empowerment. While there have been many studies on social cultural inhibitions to women‘s empowerment as well as men‘s dominance, the present study uncovers implications for women with involvement in entrepreneurial pursuits in the forestry sector. The study proposed to uncover constructs that prevent women from taking full advantage of new opportunities legislated by transformation in South Africa. As South Africans, we need to be more educated in the meaning of transformation and understand the different types of transformation that are found. Transformation is a type of change presented in a certain form, nature or appearance. Change is more regarded as a gradual process. Industrial sociologists provide an in-depth explanation whereby they view and analyse transformation as first order change, ―conforming strategies‖, wherein the arrangement, including its organization, culture, defining values and sentiments, does not change. The process of change takes place within the boundaries of the system itself, and in terms of the basic principles and values of the system. The objective is to change behaviour within a prevailing system without affecting the culture, structure and defining values of the system. The study proposed to reveal how gender roles, inequalities and stereotypes affect the forestry industry in South Africa. Marx and Engels argued that gender inequality was used by the ruling class to help bind working class men to the capitalist social order. Utilizing a survey design, the present study investigated the effects of women‘s ‗coping abilities‘ (COPAB), ‗mastery of life‘ (MASTOL), their extent of ‗self-assurance‘, (SELASSU) and their levels of ‗perception of discrimination against women‘, (PERDIWOM) on their ‗Perception of empowerment and ability among women‘ (PERABIL). The survey conducted used a five-level Likert scale to determine hypothesised relationships between variables. In the first stage of analysis of the research results, responses (n = 68) were reduced using Principal Components Analysis (PCA) to determine how questionnaire items contributed to variables under consideration. Subsequently, variables extracted were correlated. Bivariate correlation was used to test simple relationships between independent and dependent variables. The hypotheses that were formulated for statistical testing revealed that there is a correlation between women‘s levels of self-assurance, perception of discrimination against women (SELASSU) and extent of PERDIWOM. Further to that, the results showed that PERDIWOM and PERABIL are correlated insignificantly; the results also showed that there is a correlation between PERABIL and SELASSU. Many women entrepreneurs in developing countries face disproportionate obstacles in accessing and competing in markets. These include women‘s relative lack of mobility, capacity and technical skills in relation to men (World Bank, 2009). The prosperity and growth in the South African economy and forestry sector cannot be realized without the participation and empowerment of black women in the forestry sector. Gender inequality still dominates the sector. In light of the above findings, the study recommends that, the forestry business programme needs to be rearranged in its present state. The rekindling of the business incubators in the forestry sector will see growth and attract more women, escalate productivity and reduce unemployment
Description
A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology in the Department of Sociology at the University Of Zululand, South Africa, 2017
Keywords
entrepreneurship --transformation --forestry --South Africa --women