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Career Progression of Female Academics in Public Universities: A Tale of Open University of Tanzania

Received: 20 December 2019     Accepted: 3 January 2020     Published: 17 January 2020
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Abstract

Tanzania recognizes that gender equality and female empowerment are important for development of the country. Despite the government efforts to put in place employment laws, policies and gender strategies to remove inequality, still there are under representation of female employees in senior positions in many public sectors. In Public Universities the situation is the same as the number of academic staff varies between female and male. There is huge gender gap in this career as it is dominated by male. Gender disparity tends to be wider in senior positions. The major objective of the study was to examine factors that affect career progression of female academics to senior positions in Public Universities. The study employed qualitative design to understand academics experiences on the female career progression. Open University of Tanzania (OUT) was used as a study case. Twenty one (21) participants were selected purposively from senior positions, junior positions and University management. Interview method for data collection was employed to collect primary data and secondary data were collected through documentary review. The study used thematic analysis in data analysis. The findings revealed that family work conflict, culture and gender, lack of mentor and mentoring program, lack of role model, low self-confidence, limited opportunities and networking were factors that discourage career progression of female academicians to senior positions. The findings implied that few female academicians managed to reach senior positions and majorities are struggling to move up. Their failures were associated with traditional gender role, society believes and gender stereotype. Generally, the study contributes to the addition of knowledge and literature on career progression of female academics which has been under-researched, especially in Tanzania.

Published in Social Sciences (Volume 9, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ss.20200901.11
Page(s) 1-8
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Career Progression, Female Academics, Public Universities, Open University of Tanzania, Tanzania

References
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[3] European Commission. 2012. Structural Change in Research Institutions: Enhancing Excellence, Gender Equality and Efficiency in Research and Innovation. Brussels: European Commission.
[4] Aiston, Sarah Jane. 2014. Leading the academy or being led? Hong Kong women academics. Higher Education Research & Development 33: 59–72.
[5] Gardiner, M., Triggerman, M., Kearns, H. and Marshall, K. (2007). Show me the money! An empirical analysis of mentoring outcomes for women in academia. Higher Educational Research and Development, 26, 425-442.
[6] Morley, L. (2006). Hidden transcripts: The micropolitics of gender in Commonwealth universities, Women's Studies International Forum, 29, 543-551.
[7] URT (2017). Women and Men Booklet; Facts and Figure 2017. Dar es salaam Tanzania.
[8] University of Dar es Salaam (2001): Institutional Transformation Programme PMU/UDSM-2000: Facts and figures 2000/2001, Dar es Salaam: UDSM.
[9] Open University of Tanzania (2018): Fact and Figure, Prepared by Quality Assurance, June 2018.
[10] O’Neil, Deborah A., Margaret M. Hopkins, and Diana Bilimoria. 2008. Women’s careers at the start of the 21st century: Patterns and Paradoxes. Journal of Business Ethics 80: 727–43.
[11] Luke, C. (2000). One step up, two down: Women in higher education management in Southeast Asia. In: M. Tight, (Ed.) Academic work and life: What it is to be an academic, and how this is changing. Oxford: Elsevier Science.
[12] Litzky, Barrie, and Jeffrey Greenhaus. 2007. The relationship between gender and aspirations to senior management. Career Development International 12: 63.
[13] Fels, Anna. 2004. Do women lack ambition? Harvard Business Review 82: 50–60.
[14] Shapiro, Mary, Cynthia Ingols, and Stacy Blake-Beard. 2008. Confronting career double binds: Implications for women, organizations and career practitioners. Journal of Career Development 34: 309–33.
[15] Reitman, Frieda, and Joy A. Schneer. 2008. Enabling the new careers of the 21st century. Organization ManagementJournal 5: 17–28.
[16] Raburu, P. A. (2011). Women Academics’ career in Kenya: A st. PhD Thesis. London: Institute of Education, University of London.
[17] Murniati, C. T (2012).”Career advancement of women senior academic administrators in Indonesia: supports and challenges.” PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) thesis, University of Iowa.
[18] Forster, N. (2001). A case study of women academics' views on equal opportunities, career prospects and work-family conflicts in a UK university, Career Development International, 6, 28-38.
[19] William L. G (2017). Decelerating factors that impact on the career progression of women academics at Stellenbosch University. Thesis presented in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Sociology) in the Faculty of Arts and Social Science at Stellenbosch University.
[20] Manya, M. O. (2000) Equal Opportunity Policy (gender): A means to increasing the number of female senior managers and decision-makers at the university of Nairobi. MA Thesis. London: Institute of Education, University of London.
[21] Onsongo, J. K. (2000). 'Publish or perish': An Investigation into Women's Access to Research and Publication in Kenyan Universities. MA Thesis. London: Institute of Education, University of London.
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  • APA Style

    Elias Adolf Tarimo, Idda Lyatonga Swai. (2020). Career Progression of Female Academics in Public Universities: A Tale of Open University of Tanzania. Social Sciences, 9(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20200901.11

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    ACS Style

    Elias Adolf Tarimo; Idda Lyatonga Swai. Career Progression of Female Academics in Public Universities: A Tale of Open University of Tanzania. Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(1), 1-8. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20200901.11

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    AMA Style

    Elias Adolf Tarimo, Idda Lyatonga Swai. Career Progression of Female Academics in Public Universities: A Tale of Open University of Tanzania. Soc Sci. 2020;9(1):1-8. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20200901.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ss.20200901.11,
      author = {Elias Adolf Tarimo and Idda Lyatonga Swai},
      title = {Career Progression of Female Academics in Public Universities: A Tale of Open University of Tanzania},
      journal = {Social Sciences},
      volume = {9},
      number = {1},
      pages = {1-8},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ss.20200901.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20200901.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ss.20200901.11},
      abstract = {Tanzania recognizes that gender equality and female empowerment are important for development of the country. Despite the government efforts to put in place employment laws, policies and gender strategies to remove inequality, still there are under representation of female employees in senior positions in many public sectors. In Public Universities the situation is the same as the number of academic staff varies between female and male. There is huge gender gap in this career as it is dominated by male. Gender disparity tends to be wider in senior positions. The major objective of the study was to examine factors that affect career progression of female academics to senior positions in Public Universities. The study employed qualitative design to understand academics experiences on the female career progression. Open University of Tanzania (OUT) was used as a study case. Twenty one (21) participants were selected purposively from senior positions, junior positions and University management. Interview method for data collection was employed to collect primary data and secondary data were collected through documentary review. The study used thematic analysis in data analysis. The findings revealed that family work conflict, culture and gender, lack of mentor and mentoring program, lack of role model, low self-confidence, limited opportunities and networking were factors that discourage career progression of female academicians to senior positions. The findings implied that few female academicians managed to reach senior positions and majorities are struggling to move up. Their failures were associated with traditional gender role, society believes and gender stereotype. Generally, the study contributes to the addition of knowledge and literature on career progression of female academics which has been under-researched, especially in Tanzania.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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    AU  - Elias Adolf Tarimo
    AU  - Idda Lyatonga Swai
    Y1  - 2020/01/17
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    AB  - Tanzania recognizes that gender equality and female empowerment are important for development of the country. Despite the government efforts to put in place employment laws, policies and gender strategies to remove inequality, still there are under representation of female employees in senior positions in many public sectors. In Public Universities the situation is the same as the number of academic staff varies between female and male. There is huge gender gap in this career as it is dominated by male. Gender disparity tends to be wider in senior positions. The major objective of the study was to examine factors that affect career progression of female academics to senior positions in Public Universities. The study employed qualitative design to understand academics experiences on the female career progression. Open University of Tanzania (OUT) was used as a study case. Twenty one (21) participants were selected purposively from senior positions, junior positions and University management. Interview method for data collection was employed to collect primary data and secondary data were collected through documentary review. The study used thematic analysis in data analysis. The findings revealed that family work conflict, culture and gender, lack of mentor and mentoring program, lack of role model, low self-confidence, limited opportunities and networking were factors that discourage career progression of female academicians to senior positions. The findings implied that few female academicians managed to reach senior positions and majorities are struggling to move up. Their failures were associated with traditional gender role, society believes and gender stereotype. Generally, the study contributes to the addition of knowledge and literature on career progression of female academics which has been under-researched, especially in Tanzania.
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 1
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Author Information
  • Department of Human Resource and Administration, Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere University of Agriculture and Technology, Mara, Tanzania

  • Department of Local Government Management, School of Public Administration and Management, Mzumbe University, Morogoro, Tanzania

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