Challenges women face in reaching the top managerial positions : a study of state owned companies in the Maldives / Shinaza Mohamed

Abstract

Regardless of the many efforts, women are still struggling to get equal opportunities and excel in their careers and perform in the top managerial levels of the companies; they are still overlooked in many aspects just because of their gender and are criticized and discriminated based on different norms and negative assumptions.
In the past few years, women empowerment and gender equality has been a major discussion on a global scale, and countries have adopted different policies, implemented several laws and regulations to reduce the gender gap. Yet the gap remains. The state owned companies of the Maldives consists of sectors which are the major contributors to its economy; however there are still a limited number of 3 women in the top managerial positions in these companies.
This research aims to provide an insight of the institutional factors; regulative, cognitive and normative factors that could create barriers or challenges for women to reach the top managerial level in these companies of Maldives and help them to understand the significance of these factors and what can be done to mitigate these issues.
A qualitative research method has been used with a single case study approach to analyze the research question; data collection was carried out through intense semi-structured interviews with participants from different levels of the selected organizations.
This research has identified several factors creating challenges for women to reach the top managerial level under the three criteria's; regulative, normative and cognitive levels which have previously not been done in the context of State owned companies of Maldives.
Through recommendations and suggestions for future research, this research provides a meaningful contribution to the effort by the relative authorities in order to reduce the gender gap and empowerment of women.