Thematic Analysis of the Glass Ceiling in Women Career Advancement in Public Sector Universities

Abstract

Women under-representation at the senior management level is observed in the literature despite their academic excellence. Therefore, the persistent under-representation of women in senior leadership positions within Pakistan’s higher education sector was investigated in the current study. The research objective was to identify and analyze the specific barriers collectively known as the “glass ceiling” that hinder women’s career advancement in public sector universities in Pakistan. A qualitative research design based on a focus group discussion was used. Experienced female teaching faculty members of the designations lecturer, assistant professor, and associate professor participated in the FGD. Thematic analysis was carried out on the collected data to uncover the key challenges related to organizational culture, familial responsibilities, gender bias, and weak professional networks. The findings highlighted the persistent global issue of the glass ceiling. Despite greater participation in the workforce, women encounter invisible barriers that hinder their advancement to senior leadership positions. It was concluded an urgent need for institutional reforms in order to remove the barriers of the glass ceiling. It was recommended that advocating for transparent, merit-based promotion policies is required to dismantle these barriers and foster gender equity in Pakistan’s Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).