Udette Kirsch
User profile
Ms
Udette
Kirsch
About you (please use English):
I am a South African researcher, residing in Johannesburg, SA. I obtained a masters degree in strategic marketing from the University of Johannesburg (1997) and spent my corporate career in marketing, business development and change management before becoming an executive coach focusing on organizational diversity training. I am currently completing a masters degree in Behavioral Economics at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. My interest lies in understanding biases and stereotypes and how "nudging" or other behavioral economic interventions can be used to address policy formulation and frameworks. My dissertation research is focused on investigating the impact of the so-called motherhood bias, within the context of the growing economic gender gap in corporate South Africa. The motherhood bias is a relatively new concept in South African organizations, yet fundamentally affects the welfare of the country, since many South African fathers are largely absent from the lives of their children. The investigation of the motherhood bias expressed against the backdrop of a strong hegemonic masculine society, will hopefully shed more light on why only 58% of the economic participation gap has been closed and is at its lowest level since 2008, as measured by the Global Gender Index, despite the various constitutional mechanisms introduced since the new constitutional democracy commenced in 1994, to address gender- and race inequalities.
Scientific discipline:
Stakeholder group:
Contact details
GenPORT Gender Expert2Expert Directory
Would you like to form part of the GenPORT Gender Expert database?:
Yes
Area of Gender Expertise:
Country coverage:
Southern Africa
Skills and track record:
MA Behavioral Economics: The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (exp. 2019). Research: Gender inequality in South Afirca with specific reference to the impact of the motherhood bias on the perceived competence of working mothers, against the backdrop of a strong hegemonic musculine culture.