Women Leaders Research Articles

Women-Led Social Entrepreneurship

This study uses a phenomenological approach to explore the experiences of 30 women leaders in Peruvian social entrepreneurship. Through in-depth interviews analyzed using Moustakas's (1994) methodology, the research proposes a framework for understanding the initiation and development of women-led social enterprises, considering individual, social, cultural, and institutional factors. It also examines the impact of these ventures on the leaders and society, as well as the resources utilized. The findings offer insights for policymakers aiming to support entrepreneurial ecosystems. This study is unique in its focus on Peru, a country with the highest women labor force participation in Latin America and strong entrepreneurial activity.

Exploring Interpersonal Dynamics in Wellness Tourism: A Reexamination of Intentions Through a Case Study of Generation X Citizens In Thailand

Objectives: This study explores the key factors influencing women’s leadership performance in crisis situations, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to identify the most dominant factors affecting women's leadership in regional governments in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Theoretical Framework: The research builds on theories of leadership and gender, incorporating concepts from human resource management and performance analysis. Women's leadership is viewed through the lens of gendered leadership styles, organizational behavior, and crisis management. Method: A mixed-method approach was used, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data was collected through surveys distributed to 147 women in leadership positions across three regional governments, followed by qualitative interviews with key informants. Data was analyzed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to identify dominant leadership factors. Results and Discussion: The findings revealed 12 key factors influencing women's leadership performance, including motivation, organizational infrastructure, work atmosphere, problem-solving abilities, and interpersonal relationships. The study highlights the importance of collaborative leadership, communication, and fairness in performance evaluations. Women leaders were found to emphasize nurturing and interpersonal relationships more than male leaders, reflecting gender-based leadership styles. Research Implications: The study contributes to understanding gender-specific leadership during crises, emphasizing the need for supportive organizational structures and inclusive policies. The findings also suggest that women's leadership, with its focus on collaboration and care, plays a significant role in effectively managing crises. Originality/Value: This research provides a novel contribution by focusing on women leaders in sub-national units during a global crisis, highlighting the distinct leadership strategies employed by women. It adds value by identifying factors that enhance women's leadership performance in crisis management, which has been underexplored in previous research.

Impact of COVID-19 on women leadership in Saudi higher education institutions

The COVID-19 epidemic caused unexpected complications, complexities and challenges in higher educational institutions (HEIs). In order to promote and strengthen the role of women leadership, this study aimed to clarify the unique challenges faced by female leaders at Saudi HEIs during the epidemic, find possible solutions to these challenges, and provide policy as well as management implications. A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted, examining 27 records (i.e., research papers, articles and conference studies). The data were qualitatively analysed and categorized based on themes like challenges faced, opportunities recognized, and solutions proposed. Findings highlighted women leaders in Saudi HEIs grappled with multiple challenges, including technological barriers, cultural constraints, and increased workloads. Merging challenges with solvable strategies offers a forward-looking perspective, advocating for systemic changes that can shape a resilient and inclusive future for HEIs in Saudi Arabia.

Relationships between women in leadership at predoctoral and senior administration levels in United States dental schools.

To determine the relationship between woman leadership at senior administrative and predoctoral levels in United States (US) dental schools and assess if this relationship is affected by school characteristics. A 23-question survey was created and distributed to each US accredited dental school (2023). Data regarding the gender of the school's dean, senior administrators, and student leaders, as well as school characteristics were gathered. Data were organized in Excel. Descriptive statistics were performed using mean and standard deviation for continuous measures and using count and percent for categorial measures. Statistical comparisons were performed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), Fisher's Exact, or Chi-squared tests for comparison of proportions. 32 dental schools provided analyzable data for this project (44.4% response rate). The most common senior administrative position held by a woman was the dean of student affairs (71.9%). For every surveyed school with a woman dean (n=11, 34.4%), at least one other senior administrative position was held by a woman. There was no statistical significance between the year of school establishment, geographic region, gender of the dean, or prevalence of women administrators and students in leadership roles. The number of women students in leadership roles was close to the national enrollment trends for gender. Included US dental school data showed no relationship between women in leadership at the senior administrative and predoctoral levels. To keep leadership-minded students interested in dental academics throughout their careers, further studies are needed to identify the most important factors influencing careers in academic dentistry.

Women Fighting the Crisis: Antecedents of Women's Leadership Performance in Facing the Covid-19 Pandemic

Objective: This study aims to empirically investigate the interplay between financial literacy, entrepreneurial orientation, learning orientation, and the performance of food and beverage Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Bontang City, East Kalimantan Province. Method: The research, grounded in Resource-Based Theory (RBT), explores the mediation role of innovation ability in this relationship. The study encompasses 272 MSME owners as its population. Utilizing Structural Equation Modeling for data analysis. Research Findingsand Discussions: The findings show that financial literacy, entrepreneurial orientation, and learning orientation positively influence innovation capability and MSME performance. In addition, innovation capability emerges as an important mediator that bridges the impact of financial literacy, entrepreneurial orientation and learning orientation on MSME performance. The results of this study contribute to enriching the understanding of the Resource-Based Theory, highlighting that effective utilization of resources, such as financial literacy, entrepreneurial orientation, learning orientation, and innovation capability, can improve MSME performance. Research Implications: This study is a valuable reference for MSME owners in the food and beverage sector, emphasizing the importance of a proactive approach. Responding quickly to market opportunities, introducing new products to new markets, and developing a learning-oriented mindset all play an important role in driving innovation and ultimately improving MSME performance. Originality/Value: This research underscores the importance of strategic resource utilization for MSME success, in line with the principles of Resource-Based Theory. Owners of food and beverage MSMEs are encouraged to develop a proactive and learning-oriented attitude, encouraging innovation as a key driver to improve business performance.

Women Fighting the Crisis: Antecedents of Women's Leadership Performance in Facing the Covid-19 Pandemic

Objectives: This study explores the key factors influencing women’s leadership performance in crisis situations, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to identify the most dominant factors affecting women's leadership in regional governments in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Theoretical Framework: The research builds on theories of leadership and gender, incorporating concepts from human resource management and performance analysis. Women's leadership is viewed through the lens of gendered leadership styles, organizational behavior, and crisis management. Method: A mixed-method approach was used, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data was collected through surveys distributed to 147 women in leadership positions across three regional governments, followed by qualitative interviews with key informants. Data was analyzed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to identify dominant leadership factors. Results and Discussion: The findings revealed 12 key factors influencing women's leadership performance, including motivation, organizational infrastructure, work atmosphere, problem-solving abilities, and interpersonal relationships. The study highlights the importance of collaborative leadership, communication, and fairness in performance evaluations. Women leaders were found to emphasize nurturing and interpersonal relationships more than male leaders, reflecting gender-based leadership styles. Research Implications: The study contributes to understanding gender-specific leadership during crises, emphasizing the need for supportive organizational structures and inclusive policies. The findings also suggest that women's leadership, with its focus on collaboration and care, plays a significant role in effectively managing crises. Originality/Value: This research provides a novel contribution by focusing on women leaders in sub-national units during a global crisis, highlighting the distinct leadership strategies employed by women. It adds value by identifying factors that enhance women's leadership performance in crisis management, which has been underexplored in previous research.

Women police leaders: attitudes about policing and experiences in the occupation

PurposeThis study explored women police leaders’ (n = 503) attitudes and experiences relative to men police leaders (n = 3,359) and women police officers (n = 1,153) with no supervisory responsibilities.Design/methodology/approachSelf-reported survey data were collected from 5,015 officers in 85 United States law enforcement agencies.FindingsCompared with men police leaders, women police leaders were more likely to identify inequalities in the workplace, empower community members’ voices in defining legitimate forms of policing, elevate the importance of police misconduct and reject a tough physical approach. Women police leaders were also more likely than male police leaders to think that effective leadership influences the behavior of subordinates and more likely to feel that the rules leave room for interpretation. Black women police leaders reported different attitudes and experiences than White women police leaders, including recognizing greater inequalities, prioritizing increased law enforcement activities and experiencing less occupational burnout. Except for the seriousness of misconduct, there were no differences between women police leaders and women police officers without supervisory responsibilities.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the ongoing conversation about women in policing and how increasing the number of women in leadership roles affects law enforcement agencies and the public’s experiences with policing. As policing continues to face calls for reform and employment challenges, increasing the number of women in leadership plays a vital role in producing law enforcement agencies that are equitable and efficacious.

A trifecta trajectory of moral taint contagion: Women (church) leaders making work dirty

AbstractThis article offers insights into the dynamic and complex nature of moral taint, specifically taint that emanates at the individual level, triggered by gender, and the trajectory of this moral taint at work. Through a qualitative study of women church leaders, it explores how gender might serve as a trigger of moral taint to dirty the work. The women church leaders are perceived to be morally questionable and a source of disgust. Their gender triggers moral taint. This moral taint creates the risk of a reverse trifecta of taint contagion from the women toward the occupation, institution, and stakeholders. Others respond to the women with disgust, deflecting and protecting against contamination. The women leaders perform gendered dirty work in this sacredly masculine context and their leadership privilege is unstable, immoral, and contested because of their gender. We offer a conceptualization of gendered dirty work(ers) and suggest research avenues for women in leadership.

Exploring the Discursive Representation of Pakistani Female Politicians in Print and Electronic Media: A Qualitative Study of Narrative and Framing

This study uses a qualitative discourse analysis approach to investigate Pakistani female politicians' discursive representation in print and electronic media. Specifically, the research focuses on the narratives and framing strategies employed by the media to construct and portray the public image of these political figures. By employing Corpus-Assisted Diachronic Discourse Analysis (CADDA), the study traces the changes in media discourse over time, uncovering how gender biases, societal norms, and power dynamics shape the representation of women in Pakistani politics. The findings reveal significant trends in gendered framing, highlighting how media portrayal fluctuates between marginalization and recognition of female politicians' contributions, though gender stereotypes remain deeply embedded in these narratives. The findings of this study have important implications for future media reform initiatives, advocating for a more equitable and balanced representation of women in politics. The insights gained can also inform gender advocacy strategies and policy efforts to enhance women's visibility and leadership roles in traditional and digital media.

Leadher: role of women leadership in shaping corporate innovation

The nexus between women leadership and corporate innovation in the context of developing world is key objective of this. To evaluate such narrative, firm-level data is acquired using World Bank data, and a sample of approximately 20,000 observations from 29 developing nations was collected over a four-year period (2015–2018). The findings support the hypothesis and verify significantly positive relationship between women in leadership roles and corporate innovation. These findings verify the Upper Echelons (UE) and Critical Mass (CM) theories which state that gender-based diversity among business leaders/top management impacts strategic decision-making, such as corporate innovation. Moreover, female representation in top management can bring diverse viewpoints, capabilities, knowledge, and customs which improve the functions and outcomes of the organization.

Women academic leaders in Saudi universities: Educational and psychological vision

There is limited understanding of women's leadership roles in Saudi Arabian university education, leading to a gap in scholarly literature despite significant advancements made by Saudi women in this field. However, they encounter several obstacles when striving for leadership roles at universities. This study seeks to examine the state of women's academic leadership within Saudi universities from an educational and psychological perspective, pinpointing the key challenges they face in obtaining such positions. The findings reveal that women leaders face various challenges, with organizational obstacles being the most significant, receiving a high average score of 4. Additionally, cultural and social barriers scored an average of 3.51, also rated highly, followed by psychological barriers with an average score of 3.26, which received a medium rating. Participants suggested comprehensive reforms to mitigate these challenges, notably implementing Saudi Vision 2030 principles and initiatives, which advocate for women faculty members to take on leadership roles at universities. These insights could not only benefit Saudi Arabia but also the wider Arab Gulf region, the Middle East, and other areas with similar conditions.

Determinants Of Public Participation On Women's Leadership In Nyatike Sub County, Migori County, Kenya

This study investigates the socio-economic determinants influencing women's participation in leadership in Nyatike Sub County, Migori County, Kenya. Drawing on feminist theory and participatory development theory, the research employs a mixed-methods approach, utilizing quantitative data from 160 respondents through structured questionnaires and qualitative insights from focus group discussions with 20 key informants. The researchers identify critical socio-economic factors such as; income levels, educational opportunities, and resource access that, significantly, impact women's leadership roles. Qualitative findings underscore the importance of education and economic stability, with participants emphasizing that higher education fosters confidence in assuming leadership positions. Additionally, support systems such as women groups are pivotal in empowering women to pursue leadership roles. However, barriers such as limited access to quality education, high poverty levels, economic dependence, gender-based violence (GBV), insufficient networking opportunities, and entrenched cultural norms, hinder women's advancement in leadership. Statistical analysis reveals that 48.8% of respondents identified income level as a crucial determinant of leadership participation, followed by 22.5% citing access to social networks. Descriptive statistics indicate strong engagement in socio-economic activities, with the highest participation in mentorship and leadership development programs (mean = 4.62). The study highlights the perceived importance of public participation in promoting women's leadership, with 74.4% of respondents acknowledging its significance. These findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions that promote socio-economic empowerment, challenge gender norms, and enhance women’s leadership representation in decision-making processes. Recommendations include community-wide gender sensitization programs, educational initiatives, and enhanced mentorship opportunities to facilitate women's active participation in leadership roles.

Femininity Is Favorable: Sexually Dimorphic Facial Features Affect Assessments of White Women's Leadership Abilities

Women remain underrepresented in leadership positions traditionally held by men. Research on role congruity and backlash has shown that aspiring women versus men leaders are more negatively evaluated when they enact agentic behaviors. We examined whether sexually dimorphic facial features, which are associated with agentic and communal trait impressions, constitute a nonverbal barrier to White women's leadership in a college setting. Manipulated masculinized versus feminized facial features elicited, respectively, higher dominance and lower warmth impressions. Aspiring women leaders with masculinized versus feminized facial features received less favorable evaluations for several leadership roles, whereas men's evaluations were unaffected by varying features. Contrasting past work, aspiring women leaders were overall more favorably evaluated. This difference related to beliefs that college-aged White women versus men are more competent, responsible, and warm. These findings provide novel evidence that feminized facial features offer a unique advantage to aspiring college-aged White women leaders.

Enhancing gender-responsive resilience: The critical role of women in disaster risk reduction in Oman

Successful disaster risk reduction (DRR) and preparedness require the active participation of all genders and age groups. However, gender roles and relations are often overlooked in disaster management. This study explores the critical role of women in enhancing gender-responsive resilience within DRR in Oman. It highlights existing gender disparities in DRR strategies and emphasizes the need for inclusive policies that leverage women's knowledge, leadership, and adaptive capacities. By examining Oman's experience with natural disasters (cyclones) and COVID-19, the research underscores the importance of integrating gender perspectives in DRR for more effective outcomes. Utilizing a quantitative survey and statistical analysis, the study investigates variables shaping women's participation in DRR, including knowledge, communication, experience, social protection, and voluntarism. Findings demonstrate the crucial role of women in enhancing disaster resilience and their potential in mitigating disaster risks effectively. Policy recommendations advocate for empowering women and promoting their active participation in DRR to strengthen community resilience and contribute to broader socio-economic development goals in Oman. This study calls on policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders to support the pivotal role of women in building resilient societies and to adopt a more equitable approach to disaster management.

Women, Leadership, and Ordination in the Anglican Church in Nigeria

Paul’s injunction in 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 has often been used to restrict women from holding certain leadership positions in the Church. This paper examines 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 in light of the female ordination debate in the Anglican Church in Nigeria. Through an exegetical study of the text, Paul’s perspective on women is demystified. To understand the place of women in the Church using scriptural texts, this article examines the perspectives of egalitarian theory, complemen­tar­ian theory, and liberation theology. The latter is included because it aims at interpreting biblical texts in a liberational way — Scripture is meant to deliver humans from all kinds of bondage and not to enslave. Exegesis is accompanyied by an examination of leadership roles of women in Igbo Traditional Religion, in which women are recognized as priestesses. The place of women in leadership in Igbo Traditional religion is pertinent to this work. Biblical texts are necessarily interpreted from the perspectives of human experience — including African women’s experiences. This article discovers through exegetical study of 1 Corinthians 14:26–40 that Paul was correcting a problem in the Corinthian church rather than hindering women from participating in the worship service or serving as leaders in the church. The Church should thus stop using the text to silence women or restrict them from holding certain leadership positions.

Penolong yang Sepadan menurut Kejadian 2:18 terkait Perdebatan Kepemimpinan Wanita dalam Gereja

The text of Genesis 2:18 is one of the passages debated by Complementarians and Egalitarians regarding the role of women as "helpers." Complementarians believe that the role of a helper indicates the functional subordination of women to men. According to them, Adam and Eve are spiritually equal, but Eve is not equal to Adam in function because she is his helper. For this reason, Complementarians refuse to place women in positions of leadership in the church. On the other hand, Egalitarians believe that women should have the same opportunities as men, including in church leadership. This study aims to analyze Genesis 2:18 in relation to the debate on women's leadership in the church. The method used is exegesis, to uncover the meaning according to the original author's intent when the text was written. The results of this study indicate that the helper provided by God is not a subordinate, but a partner. Women were created as partners to help their husbands so that God's mandate could be fulfilled through the unity of the two. This context applies to the household, not the church. Therefore, this role should not be used to prohibit women from teaching and leading in the church.

Epistemology of Interpretation of Women's Leadership Verses in the Qur'an ( Comparative Study of Tafsir Al-Ibriz and Tafsir Al-Mishbah )

The epistemology of interpretation critically analyzes the foundation of the theory of knowledge in interpretation. This study examines the sources, methods, and validity of interpretation, focusing on two mufassirs: Bisri Mustofa in Tafsir Al-Ibriz and Quraish Shihab in Tafsir Al-Mishbah. The research method employed is library research, with the interpretation of women's leadership verses as the object, using a descriptive-analytical approach. The author analyzes these verses and epistemological theories as analytical tools. The results reveal the epistemological structure of the two mufassirs: First, the source of interpretation: Bisri Mustofa relies on intellect (ra'yu), while Quraish Shihab uses Qur'anic texts, hadith, opinions of scholars and scientists, reason (ra'yu), and historical data. Second, the methodology of interpretation: both mufassirs use the tahlili (analysis) method; however, Bisri Mustofa adopts a textual approach, whereas Quraish Shihab adopts a more contextual approach. Third, the validity of interpretation: in terms of coherence, both interpretations maintain consistency; in terms of correspondence, Bisri Mustofa's interpretation lacks relevance to the contemporary reality, while Quraish Shihab's interpretation is more aligned with societal realities. Pragmatically, Bisri Mustofa's textual interpretation contributes inadequately to societal issues, whereas Quraish Shihab's contextual approach provides more significant contributions in addressing societal problems.

A qualitative study of knowledge, beliefs and misinformation regarding COVID-19 in selected districts in Zimbabwe

BackgroundLack of appropriate knowledge, incorrect beliefs and misinformation misleads people about the risks they face and how best to protect themselves. A study was conducted to explore the knowledge, beliefs and misinformation regarding COVID-19 in Zimbabwe.MethodsA qualitative study was conducted in September-October 2022 with a purposive sample of religious leaders, women leaders, youth leaders, health workers, village health workers, teachers, traditional healers, transporters, and the general population selected from ten sites across the country. In total there were 128 participants (30 key informants and 98 focus group discussion participants). At each site, 3 key informant interviews and one homogenous focus group discussion were conducted using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussion guides, respectively. The data were recorded on audiotapes, transcribed verbatim, and translated into English. Manual thematic analysis of the data was performed.FindingsThree themes were identified in this study: (1) beliefs about COVID-19, (2) knowledge about COVID-19 (knowledge of origin, definition, transmission, signs and symptoms and recommended preventive measures), and (3) misinformation about COVID-19 (regarding its nature, existence and recommended preventive measures). There was awareness of the origin, transmission, signs and symptoms of COVID-19 among the participants. Participants reported that Zimbabwean communities were conversant with public health measures such as maintaining social distancing, wearing masks, and maintaining hand hygiene. However, misinformation was also observed to have circulated among the communities.ConclusionParticipants demonstrated good knowledge of COVID-19. However, the misinformation circulating in the country calls for the government to establish structures to monitor the legitimacy of information coming through different sources and invest in providing information through trusted sources. In any disease outbreak, the government should engage its citizenry to understand their knowledge, beliefs and any misinformation that might influence adherence to disease preventive measures.

The positive impact of women leadership in public sector settings: A case example in Virginia's state mental health system.

The role of psychology (and ergo, psychologists) within the public sector has shifted considerably over the preceding decades to include increasingly versatile and psychology-adjacent leadership positions. This publication focuses on brief leadership stories within a state mental health system, with an emphasis on the unique roles that women psychologists have advocated for over the years. The authors provide foundational knowledge of this state's mental health system in order to spotlight the ongoing need for effective leadership within this organization, identifying common ethical and public administration challenges, and ultimately using a structured questionnaire with women psychologists within this system to highlight their leadership roles. These stories expand upon the education and training they felt foundational to their growth in these roles, how they advocated for change and navigated organizational challenges, and how they hope their role can inspire junior (women) psychologists to take increasingly active roles in public service leadership. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Breaking Barriers: The Struggles and Prospects of Women Leadership in the Gusii Region

Women in the Gusii region of Kenya have struggled to access leadership positions, particularly in politics, where no woman has been elected as a Member of Parliament for over 50 years. This article examines the historical reasons for the exclusion of women from leadership, including cultural practices, the impact of colonialism, and entrenched patriarchal systems. It also explores the challenges women face today, such as cultural norms, financial constraints, and stereotypes that limit their opportunities for success. The study employed both primary and secondary research methodologies. Primary data was gathered through oral interviews with key informants, including women leaders, political aspirants, and personal assistants to female politicians. Secondary data was sourced from books, academic journals, and other relevant literature. The data was analyzed qualitatively, using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns and themes. The results highlight recent progress in gender equality movements and Kenyan laws that support women in leadership. It also discusses the experiences of a few women who have broken barriers and achieved leadership roles. Finally, the article suggests strategies for increasing women's participation in leadership, focusing on education, policy reforms, and shifting cultural attitudes