dc.contributor.author Distiller, Greg
dc.identifier.citation Bowen, P., Cattell, K., & Distiller, G. (2008). South African quantity surveyors: issues of gender and race in the workplace. Acta Structilia: Journal for the Physical and Development Sciences, 15(1), 1-21. en_ZA
dc.description.abstract English: A web-based questionnaire survey of the opinions of SA quantity surveyors was undertaken to establish gender- and race-based differences in job satisfaction. Issues explored included demographic factors, issues of gender and race in the workplace, and gender and racial harassment and discrimination at work. ‘Significant’ differences on the basis of gender exist on a number of issues. Women, more than men, have strong positive feelings regarding their levels of job satisfaction, feel that their career expectations have been fulfilled, would choose the same career again, and would unequivocally recommend the career to others. Females see QS practices as male-dominated, see themselves as being blocked from advancement to managerial ranks, participating less in decision-making, and remunerated at a lower level than equivalent colleagues. Issues important to women include: gender representivity in the profession, flexible working hours and maternity leave above the statutory minimum. Although both gender groups report racial harassment and discrimination at work, women experience significantly more sexual and gender harassment and religious and gender discrimination than do males. ‘Significant’ differences on the basis of race are evident concerning: feelings of job satisfaction and views on maternity / paternity leave above statutory minima. ‘Highly significant’ differences on the basis of race arise over issues of: being subjected to greater supervision because of race, not being allowed to contribute meaningfully to the decision-making process, viewing PDI status as a valid basis for promotion, seeing race representivity in the profession as important in combating discrimination at work, having personally experienced racial harassment and discrimination at work, and seeing respect for individual diversity in the workplace as important - with ‘Whites’ viewing these issues less ‘empathically’ than their ‘Non-white’ counterparts. The results provide valuable indicators for how the quantity surveying firms can create a more conducive work environment for professional staff, particularly females. en_ZA
dc.description.abstract Afikaans: ‘n Internetgebaseerde vraelys opname is gedoen oor die opinie van Suid Afrikaanse bourekenaars rondom geslag- en rasverskille ten opsigte van werkstevredenheid. Sake soos demografiese faktore, geslag en ras in die werksplek, geslag- en rasteistering asook diskriminasie by die werk is ondersoek. Merkwaardige verskille oor verskillende sake op die basis van geslag is gevind. Vrouens, meer as mans, het sterk positiewe gevoelens oor vlakke van werkstevredenheid, voel dat hul loopbaanverwagtinge vervul is, sal dieselfde loopbaan weer kies en sal onomwonde dieselfde loopbaan aan andere aanbeveel. Vrouens beskou bourekenaarpraktyke as mansgeorïenteerd, sien hulself as uitgesluit van bevordering tot bestuursposte, neem minder deel in besluitneming en ontvang vergoeding op ’n laer skaal as mans op dieselfde vlak. Sake wat belangrik is vir vrouens sluit in: geslagsverteenwoordiging in die professie, fleksiewerksure en kraamverloftyd meer as wat wetlik bepaal is. Alhoewel beide geslagsgroepe rasseteistering en diskrimansie in die werksplek aangedui het, het vrouens meer seksuele-, geslags- en gesloofsteistering rapporteer as mans. Merkwaardige verskille op die basis van ras sluit ook in: gevoelens van werkstevredenheid en die beskouing dat kraamverlof meer moet wees as die wetlike minimum. Hoogs merkwaardige verskille op die basis van geslag sluit in: persone voel onderworpe as gevolg van hulle ras dat daar meer toesig oor hulle gehou word, word nie toegelaat om by te dra tot betekenisvolle besluitnemingsprosesse, beskou ‘Voorheen Benadeelde Individu’ status as ’n geldige basis vir bevordering, sien rasverteenwoordiging in die professie as belangrik in die bekamping van diskriminasie in die werksplek, het persoonlik rasseteistering en diskriminasie by die werk ervaar, en beskou respek vir individuele diversiteit in die werksplek as belangrik - ‘wittes’ is minder empaties teenoor hierdie sake as hulle ‘nie-wit’ ampsgenote. Die resultate verskaf waardevolle aanduidings vir hoe die bourekenaarsprofessiefirmas ’n meer bevorderlike werksomgewing vir professionele personeel in besonder, vrouens, kan skep. af
dc.subject Race en_ZA
dc.subject Harassment en_ZA
dc.title South African quantity surveyors: issues of gender and race in the workplace en_ZA