Reach Leadership Positions Research Articles

EMPOWERING WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS (CASE STUDIES OF SEVERAL FEMALE EMPLOYEES WITH DISABILITIES)

This research aims to identify the reality of empowering women with disabilities to reach leadership positions. The most important challenges that prevent this, the factors affecting them, and how to confront them. It was relied upon Descriptive analytical method. The research also relied on the interview guide. As a basic data collection tool, it was applied Research on a purposive sample; It consists of 30 female employees with disabilities. The research results showed that the percentage of Women's jobs in the public sector are higher than in the private sector. The research also found that the majority of female employees; Their field is specific. It is the administrative sector. The results also showed an obstruction in procedures and a lack of availability The opportunity for women to prove themselves and be included in plans and strategies at the governmental level and on Civil society level. Finally, officials’ awareness of training needs revealed a deficiency And appropriate development for female employees with disabilities, in addition to the lack of awareness of creating the appropriate environment for training Female employees with disabilities

The narratives of Chinese women academics: exploring gendered career trajectories for those who are not leaders

ABSTRACT Despite women academics reaching higher positions, in institutional hierarchies they still face multiple tensions that hinder reaching leadership positions. 1 This study explores the perception of leadership among Chinese women academics who currently do not hold academic leadership positions. A feminist critical discourse analysis of 14 Chinese women academics’ narratives, using Butlerian theory, indicates that institutional discourses have been shaped predominantly by men’s norms and preferences, creating challenges for women assuming leadership responsibilities. The findings show that women and men academics appear to have different career trajectories, with men taking on more administrative roles and advancing further in their academic careers. For many women, leadership conflicts with family obligations, as families often take priority, consistent with gender norms. This study also reveals how social and institutional regulatory power, such as gender norms and institutional discourses, constitutes and shapes a gendered structure of academic leadership positions in Chinese universities.

Closing the scissor-shaped curve: Strategies to promote gender equality in academia

Gender inequality in STEM fields remains pervasive and undermines the ability for talented individuals to excel. Despite advances, women still encounter obstacles in pursuing academic careers and reaching leadership positions. This commentary discusses the "scissor-shaped curve" and examines effective strategies to fix it, including data-driven initiatives that we have implemented at our university.

WOMEN IN ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING: A REVIEW OF PROGRESS, CHALLENGES, AND THE PATH FORWARD

This comprehensive review explores the evolving landscape of women in accounting and auditing, shedding light on the progress made, persistent challenges faced, and the promising path forward. Over the past few decades, the accounting profession has witnessed a notable increase in the representation of women, reflecting a broader societal shift towards gender inclusivity. While significant strides have been made in terms of entry into the profession and academic achievements, gender disparities persist, particularly in reaching leadership positions within accounting firms and corporate boardrooms. The review delves into the factors contributing to the progress of women in accounting and auditing, examining initiatives such as mentorship programs, diversity and inclusion policies, and educational outreach. It also highlights the pivotal role of professional organizations in fostering an environment that encourages and supports the career advancement of women in the field. Despite these positive developments, the review identifies persistent challenges, including gender stereotypes, work-life balance issues, and unconscious bias, which continue to impede the full realization of gender equality in accounting. Moreover, the paper explores the implications of the gender gap on the profession's overall effectiveness, emphasizing the importance of diverse perspectives in ensuring robust financial reporting and auditing processes. The review concludes with a forward-looking perspective, proposing strategies and recommendations for overcoming existing challenges and advancing the role of women in accounting and auditing. This includes targeted mentorship and sponsorship programs, continued advocacy for workplace flexibility, and a commitment to challenging and dismantling systemic barriers. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the status of women in accounting and auditing, offering insights into both the achievements and hurdles they face. By understanding the current state of affairs, stakeholders can collaboratively work towards creating a more equitable and inclusive future for women in the accounting profession.
 Keywords: Accounting, Women, Auditing, finance, Review.

Same Age, Different Experience: Exploring Ageism in the Advertising Industry across Departments and Intersectional Identities

Ageism is increasingly recognized as a problem in the advertising industry. Drawing from a model of age inequality among advertising creatives in Australia, this study utilized interviews with 30 advertising professionals to examine ageism in the United States. Further, we examined whether and how workers in different departments experience ageism and found that workers in creative and digital/social roles are confronted with ageism sooner than others. Regarding intersectional identities, women experienced ageism differently than men, noting that ageism occurred sooner in their careers and that they had to engage in more aesthetic labor to maintain a youthful appearance. For racial and ethnic minorities, marginalization persisted throughout their careers, and they were often pushed out of the industry before reaching leadership positions.

A qualitative study on the attitudes of women politicians toward their roles in politics: a case of Northern Cyprus.

Politics is a mechanism of cooperation for the common interest of society. In this mechanism, each individual is expected to participate equally in the leadership and decision-making mechanisms. Women's participation in politics is essential for the spread of good governance and democracy. Globally, political participation is disaggregated by gender, with men's participation greater than women's. A lower representation of women in politics is also observed in Northern Cyprus. The attitudes or views of society and politicians may determine the political participation of women in leadership positions. This study examines the obstacles and determining factors that make it difficult for women to reach leadership positions even though their political role is increasing. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 female participants for this research. Eleven of them are female ministers in parliament and represent the three main political parties in the country. The remaining 10 female participants are also members of the central executive body of the three parties and the National Assembly. Women politicians believe that problems related to gender equality in politics prevent women from entering active politics and rising to leadership positions. Although there was no gender discrimination in Northern Cyprus means that women have gained equal rights with men in many areas, it was concluded that the traditional political culture keeps women out of politics.

Documenting Methodological Procedures in a Qualitative Pilot Study: Exploring the Journey of Women Reaching Leadership Positions in Academia

Pilot studies are crucial for any research. While publishing the results of pilot studies in quantitative research is common, it is less common in qualitative research. This pilot study precedes the main research on the differences in perception between men and women deans on how they perceive the key success factors for women to be leaders in academia. In this pilot study, male and female deans were used as participants, consistent with the main research. Besides that, the aim was to contribute towards increased methodological knowledge as well as awareness of conducting pilot studies in qualitative research. Furthermore, in qualitative research, pilot studies are important to show the trustworthiness of the qualitative research. In determining trustworthiness, researcher triangulation is an important aspect of qualitative research to assess concerns on rigour such as reliability and credibility. The data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews via Google Meet, with one male and one female dean, as the main research focused on exploring perceptions towards the leadership journey of female leaders in academia. This study contributed to increasing the trustworthiness of the main study. The pilot study aided in advancing the main research and helped researchers update their coding and interview probing skills. There were some modifications made to the research instrument as the researchers found that the number of questions needed to be reduced in order to get in-depth responses from the participants within the stipulated time. Moreover, some modifications were made to the language of the interview to enhance clarity. The documentation of the experiences of the qualitative research methodology not only helped researchers of this study but also can be used as a guide for researchers who intend to pursue the qualitative studies.

Transformational women leadership: a road to sustainable development goal of women empowerment

Purpose To promote gender equality, world leaders at the UN came up with Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG5). It proposes to eliminate discrimination against women by providing them with similar opportunities for reaching leadership positions. Hence, this study aims to examine the contribution made by women transformational leaders to their employees’ performance. The study seeks to emphasize the role played by female leaders in the on-job performance of employees and their mental well-being by encouraging intrinsic motivation among them. Design/methodology/approach For the purpose of data collection, a questionnaire was sent through Google Forms to the employees who had females as their superiors or in the decision-making position. Data from a final sample of 517 respondents was gathered, on which SEM was applied to analyze the direct impact of transformational women’s leadership on employee performance and the indirect impact through the mediation of intrinsic motivation. Findings The study found that by having feminine traits, women are stronger transformational leaders as they encourage individuals to be self-motivated instead of getting stimulated because of some external incentive. Also, such a leadership style ensures better work performance and mentally healthier employees. In addition, transformational women's leadership creates a better work environment by inspiring a teamwork culture instead of individualism. Practical implications The study has implications for not just researchers but other stakeholders as well. The study is useful for organizations as it directs them to hire and promote more women for leadership positions. Also, the results hint that people prefer working for women-led organizations as it will ensure a healthier work atmosphere. Originality/value There are many studies from earlier times related to transformational leadership. However, female leadership and the role it plays for employees have not gotten their fair share of attention. Thus, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the present work is one of the very few where contributions made by women transformational leaders have been assessed.

The Art of Waiting Humbly: Women Judges Reflect on Vertical Gender Segregation.

Central and Eastern European countries (CEE), compared to common law countries but also other civil law countries of Europe, are known for a strikingly high representation of women within judiciaries. This, however, does not mean that equality has been achieved, as women judges do not reach leadership positions at the same rate as their male peers. Taking the Czech Republic as a case study, this contribution explores the barriers women judges face within a CEE judiciary and analyses their reflections on their positions. The interviews with women judges show that while they are well aware of what is holding them back, most of them do not perceive the structurally unequal position of men and women in Czech society and in the judiciary as a problem and accept the consequences as being part of women's destiny. This means that the system currently lacks bottom-up incentives and pressure for change.

Genderization and the Struggle of Nigerian Women Academic Librarians for Leadership Positions in Librarianship

Librarianship is among the professions that are genderized in the attainment of leadership positions in Nigeria. Working at the intersection of gender and leadership, this study investigated genderization and the struggle of Nigerian women academic librarians for leadership positions in librarianship. The participants in the study were the librarians in public higher institutions in the South-west, Nigeria. A questionnaire was used as the instrument of data collection. The study submitted that for women and men to have equal opportunity in reaching leadership positions in librarianship, the philosophy of equality must be embedded within the societal and cultural settings of the people.

Liberate or obliterate: Women’s leadership in academia

Women form a critical component of the workforce of South Africa, yet the retention of women in leadership positions is problematic. This study examined the relationship between leadership opportunities and the retention of women at an open-distance education institution. A total of 311 of 2 732 female employees at a South African higher education participated in the study. The participating women responded to a survey on the leadership of their supervisors, leadership opportunities and retention. The data were analysed by descriptive and inferential statistics. The regression analysis results indicated leadership opportunities to predict job retention by age groupings, ethnicity, staff category and educational level. However, middle-aged women and black women were more inclined to perceive barriers to reaching leadership positions, despite capabilities and advancement opportunities. Advancement opportunities were the strongest predictor of job retention of women, followed by support and fulfilled unique needs. Findings suggest the importance of leadership opportunities to encourage women to remain with an organisation and pursue leadership positions.

The Women Leadership. A Human-Centered Approach

Abstract The COVID-19 crisis, along with the other associated complex crises, has amplified the gap that exists in terms of the number of women reaching leadership positions, despite the quality of their work and their important contributions in various fields. This paper aims to explore women's leadership qualities, and perceptions regarding leadership, based on quantitative data originating from four studies. Concerning the research methodology it includes qualitative research and a comparative analysis of global studies. The paper focuses on women, looking mostly for the proportion of women within organizations, and the main characteristics of women's leadership. The analysis then turns to Romania, where we have identified the proportion of women leaders. The main goal of the paper is to investigate the representation of women leaders in EU countries and in particular in Romania. The results of the study illustrate that favorable work conditions have a greater impact on women's aspirations to become leaders. Extrinsic structural inequalities, such as bias against women in certain professions, and gender, racial and other discrimination, are barriers to women's access and advancement in leadership positions in the workplace. Intrinsic individual characteristics of successful women leaders, namely conscientiousness, respect, confidence, acceptance, and resilience have facilitated their success in obtaining and maintaining leadership positions.

LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES: EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN LEADERS

The purpose of the study is to find out the challenges women experienced in reaching leadership positions. At the global level, according to the Global Gender Gap Report (2022), 33% of women hold leadership roles; however, in Pakistan, this number is lower. Eagly and Carli’s (2003) theoretical framework emphasized the multifactorial barriers that women face in achieving leadership positions. A qualitative approach was used to get an in-depth understanding of the problem. Using the non-probability purposive sampling technique ten female heads of departments from the different public sector universities of Rawalpindi were selected who were willing to participate in the study voluntarily. With mutual consent, in-depth interviews were conducted. The findings reveal multiple barriers that affect women’s ability to advance in leadership positions on three different levels: barriers at work, barriers in the home, and barriers at the individual level. The findings at work-level challenges include dealing with gender stereotypes, problems with leadership styles, and a lack of social networking. The findings at family-level barriers include work-family imbalance, different types of early socialization, and a choice between family and career. The findings at individual-level obstacles include issues with the physical appearance for upward mobility, Barriers for family oriented female leaders and grateful attitudes of female leaders. Based on the findings, the study suggests multifaceted approaches to deal with this issue at every level. Keywords: Career, Challenges, Leadership, Obstacles, Stereotypes, Women

A vision to advance gender equality within pharmacy leadership: Next steps to take the profession forward.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 to 'achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls' aims to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and girls and ensure their full and effective participation in all spheres of life. In alignment with this, several key international initiatives are making progress towards gender equality in the pharmacy profession. The pharmacy profession must support women and accelerate the progress of women in leadership positions in pharmacy. International and national pharmacy professional bodies can play a critical role in fostering the change required to improve gender equality in all regions and countries. The ongoing development, evaluation and implementation of policies and initiatives are critical to a profession that is increasingly becoming feminised. Furthermore, there is an imperative to deeply understand the gender-based barriers and develop evidence-based strategies and solutions to support women in pharmacy leadership. There is extensive literature and research on gender inequality and its impact on leadership outside pharmacy which could be used strategically for the profession to develop its own evidence based strategic position. Robust initiatives are needed to ensure that women at all levels including women in pharmacy leadership are empowered and encouraged to participate in their profession. This commentary seeks to generate and contribute to the debate to ensure the profession is proactive and deliberate in tackling the challenges that have traditionally impeded women reaching leadership positions and several critical actions as next steps are proposed. Action is needed to improve gender equality in pharmacy leadership and a profession-wide discussion on ways to progress the above proposed actions is critically needed.

A gendered perspective of challenges women in engineering careers face to reach leadership positions: A innovative theoretical model from Brazilian students' perceptions

Careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are strongly associated with men, and women remain underrepresented in these fields. This article puts forward a relational theoretical model on the main challenges that women face to be better represented with regard to reaching leadership positions in STEM careers. A qualitative analysis was conducted using semi-structured interviews. These interviews were with women engineering students from the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Qualitative analysis was used when matching their perceptions with studies identified in the literature. The results indicate that gender stereotypes about the idealization of traditional roles attributed to women, combined with female under-representation in engineering careers, have led to there being an imbalance in their reaching and occupying leadership positions. The results may also imply that these students consider it important for public and organizational policies to be adopted that seek gender parity in the corporate world of STEM.

Women and Leadership in the Jordanian Armed Forces

Ever since gaining approval to be admitted to the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF), Jordanian women have become more visible in this sector. Women were recruited in various fields across the military, including administrative posts, education, and human resources. There is a noticeable gap in the number of women reaching leadership positions despite the quality of their work and their tremendous contributions in this sector. The present study aims to explore the correlation between military culture and environment and women’s perceptions of leadership by drawing on quantitative data from female personnel at Al-Hussein Medical Center (HMC). A five-point Likert scale was adopted in the current questionnaire to test the extent of agreement with question items suggested for each aspect of work culture and environment construct. The results demonstrate that women at HMC perceive their work culture and environment positively, which in turn reflects their positive perceptions about their quality of work and their ability to lead. The female participants at HMC demonstrate positive perceptions of gender that challenge prevailing gender norms through gaining necessary support and opportunities for career advancement. The study results imply that supportive work environments have a greater impact on women’s aspirations to become leaders.

Outstanding women psychologists mainly from Europe - What helped and what limited them in their scientific careers? Guidelines for gender equity programs in academia.

The manuscript is based on a series of structured interviews with female scientists from around the world who have made significant contributions to psychology and have an impact on their cultural areas. The authors interviewed female scientists and researchers from a similar age group, but from different regions of the world, to capture the factors influencing careers of interlocutors from a similar period and enabling cultural inference. Both the universal and the cultural barriers faced by female scientists/researchers in career development and the factors that have contributed to success in psychology are discussed. Universal and cultural factors served in this manuscript as a guideline for gender equality programs in academia to overcome gender stereotypes, support early career development, support women in reaching leadership positions, and enhance women’s visibility.

Attitudes of the administrative staff at the German Jordanian University towards the participation of women in the decision-making process and their relationship to some variables

The study aims to identify the extent to which decision-makers at the German Jordanian University take into account gender at the level of representation and resources, the factors that help women reach leadership positions, the difficulties they face in the work environment, the attitudes of administrators towards women’s participation in decision-making, and to what extent women are accepted as managers. A descriptive analytical approach was used, by conducting a questionnaire in which the Male administrators and Female administrators at the German Jordanian University participated. The results showed the existence of a gender gap at the level of representation between male and female administrators in favor of male administrators in terms of their occupation of leadership positions and the number of years of service. The study also revealed a gap in the field of participation in courses and conferences, in addition to participation in committees, the number of times they occupied leadership positions, and access to awards. It was also found on the level of resources that there is no gap between them in the field of enrollment in educational missions. The participants agreed that the most important factors that helped women reach leadership positions are due to the sound leadership upbringing within the family. In the field of administrators' attitudes towards the reality of women and their role at work, the results were of high relative importance. Attitudes vary according to gender, educational level, marital status, and number of years of service. The study participants agreed that the best way to achieve gender justice is through equal opportunities.

From Ghettos to Corporate Sanctums: A Caste Lens on Leadership

Previous research on leadership diversity has generated rich insights on the benefits of diversity to organizations, but the challenges in achieving such diversity, particularly in understudied contexts are relatively less known. In this paper, we examine the challenges faced by low-caste managers in India, compared to others, in reaching leadership positions in their careers. Our qualitative study of senior managers revealed that family background, availability of role models, and formative opportunities influence the differential approaches that individuals from marginalized and privileged groups bring to their corporate careers. Further, low-caste managers find lower opportunities for advancement, fewer mentors, and experience difficulties in developing and leveraging professional and social networks, even when they attempt to hide their caste identity. These findings have important implications to research on leadership diversity and inequality, as well as to the unique challenges organizations face in achieving diversity along caste lines.

Empowering Saudi women in leadership positions in the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (1443 AH-2021 AD): تمكين المرأة السعودية في المناصب القيادية في وزارة الحج والعمرة (1443هـ-2021مـ)

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to assess the level of administrative empowerment of women and leadership positions in the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, identify the most important challenges, and obstacles facing women working in leadership administrative positions. from the point of view of a sample of female employees and officials in the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Design/ Methodology/ Approach - To achieve the objectives of this study used the descriptive analytical method. The study population consisted of a number of female employees and officials in the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, based on the intentional sampling method. Findings-The researcher reached the results show a high degree of concordance between the study vocabulary regarding the dimensions of empowerment in various jobs (74.18%), participation and qualification (72.06%), compared to the neutrality of consensus about the obstacles facing women’s empowerment in leadership positions (65.49%). With a varying level of agreement on the sub-items of those dimensions, which requires the need to establish the concept of women’s empowerment Administrative and leadership positions. In addition to the absence of statistically significant differences in the trends of the study vocabulary about the dimensions of administrative empowerment according to the educational level, social status and administrative experience. while there were statistically significant differences between the average estimates of the study sample members of the female employees to the degree of empowerment of Saudi women in leadership positions in the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah attributed for the functional status variable. The results also showed the obstacles to achieving women's empowerment in administrative work and leadership positions. The study recommended working on upgrading the role of women in the work environment and believing in their ability to achieve success in the operational job roles that they perform, directing their characteristics and their view of advantages to be used in reaching leadership positions, attracting women leaders with experience to work in departments and branches, benefiting from Technical development and electronic communication and its adaptation to develop women's work through remote work.