Gender Discrimination, Construction, and Glass Ceiling Effects Among Women Academics in a Higher Education Institution in South Africa: Exploring Alternatives for Women’s Empowerment

Abstract

Despite several policies and legislation enactments to address gender inequality in the post-apartheid South African employment landscape, a significant proportion of female academics still face marginalization and underrepresentation in senior executive positions. This paper aims to investigate the glass ceiling effect and gender discrimination in higher education institutions. This qualitative research, built on the assumption of the phenomenology design, interviewed 12 academics (men and women) selected across disciplines to understand their perceptions and experiences of gender discrimination and barriers in women’s career progression and women academics. The thematic analysis employed to analyze the qualitative data shows societal, cultural, and organizational dynamics as constraints to women’s career advancements. Findings show that patriarchal ideology is associated with leadership and masculine traits, with women being disadvantaged. There is evidence of stereotypical behaviours and biassed evaluation in the career progression of women, hinged on cultural perception. Managing barriers in women’s career growth requires training that focuses on women’s leadership skill development for addressing gender discrimination. Higher education must ensure that managing gender discrimination and barriers associated with the glass ceiling are channelled through dialogues and measures that promote opportunities for women’s development, including institutional mechanisms like mentorship programmes and family-friendly policies for women academics.