RIS ID
141627
Abstract
Taking a career capital approach, this paper addresses the issue of ‘pipeline block’ frequently experienced by women seeking career advancement. Focusing on the Arab Middle East (AME) region, we take a contextually relevant multi-level approach to examine these issues. The study uses a qualitative, interview-based approach, drawing on data obtained from women leaders from the AME region. Drawing on Bourdieu’s capital-field-habitus framework, we explore how women in the AME developed career capital in particular organizational fields. Our findings show the importance of human and social capital, as well as the influence of habitus for women’s career advancement in specific fields. We also highlight the unique contribution of cultural capital in helping women to navigate organizational fields where it is necessary to both challenge, and conform to, traditional norms. Limitations of the study include assumptions of homogeneity across countries of the AME, whereas differences are known to exist. Future research should consider these contextual differences, and also include a study of women who were not successful in gaining career advancement. Our multi-level approach highlights practical implications for women, organizations, and society. For organizations, we propose some context-relevant coaching strategies that can help women to attain leadership positions. Our multi-level approach highlights practical implications for women, organizations, and society. Focusing on organizations, we propose some context-relevant coaching strategies that can help women to attain advancement in their careers. We demonstrate originality in our findings by showing how women overcome the pipeline block in relation to their career advancement. The use of the Bourdieusian framework, an in-depth qualitative approach, and the AME context also add to the study’s originality.
Publication Details
Jayashree, P., Lindsay, V. & McCarthy, G. (2020). Career Capital Development of Women in the Arab Middle East Context: Addressing the Pipeline Block. Personnel Review, Online First 1-26.