Gender Perceptions Of Factors Affecting The Career Advancement Of Female Academics In South Africa

Abstract

Background and aim: In several universities, the academic staff complement is dominated by men, regardless of the implementation of employment equity. The fact that the integration of women at all levels of academia is so slow is seen as a serious problem in some countries (Badat, 2010; Rogg, 2001). Koen (2003) stated that, regardless of the endeavours to promote staff equity, there are considerable differences in gender and race representation, and women and blacks are overrepresented in lower-ranked jobs. Women still remain underrepresented at senior levels, also in South African universities. Studies have found that women come across explicit complications in trying to build successful careers in academia (Ismail, Rasdi, & Wahat, 2005; Prozesky, 2008). The main purpose of the present study was to explore the differences in the perceptions of the genders regarding factors that affect the career advancement of female academics in South African higher education institutions (HEIs). Method: Convenience sampling was used for this study. The Career Advancement Questionnaire for Women, developed by Zhong (2006), was distributed to male and female academics in South African HEIs. It was used to determine the facilitating factors, constraining factors, and gender issues affecting female academics’ career advancement Results: • Female and male academics were in agreement on factors that facilitate women’s career advancement. Our findings indicate that the main facilitating factors for female academics’ career advancement are job knowledge, attitude toward work, and effective communications skills. • Male and female respondents were in disagreement on the factors that constrain women’s career advancement, although both groups agreed that there are high-level constraining factors that have a negative impact on female academics’ career advancement. • Male and female respondents were in disagreement that certain gender issues prevent women’s career advancement. Both the null and alternative hypotheses were partially accepted with reference to the following: • There are significant differences between the gender groups in terms of the facilitating factors affecting the career advancement of female academics. • There are significant differences between the gender groups in terms of the constraining factors affecting the career advancement of female academics. • There are significant differences between the gender groups in terms of the gender issues affecting the career advancement of female academics. Practical relevance: As far as could be determined, not many studies of this kind have been done in South Africa to date. The benefit of the present study, from a theoretical perspective, is that it will contribute to the body of knowledge on the career advancement of female academics. Unlike previous studies that only focussed on other countries or other industries, the present study examined the specific factors that affect the career advancement of female academics in South African HEIs. The practical contribution of this study is that it gained insight into the perceptions of male and female academics regarding factors that constrain and facilitate female academics’ career advancement. By identifying the most common constraining and facilitating factors, recommendations could be made to HEIs to improve female academics career advancement.