Restrictions and Challenges that Prevent Women from Moving up in Leadership and Management Positions: A Frequency Count

Abstract

The number of women occupying senior management positions in Pakistani universities remains significantly low, with only 8.2% of women holding such positions in 2020, as reported by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC, 2021). A recent report by the HEC also revealed that out of the 197 universities in Pakistan, only 16 have female vice-chancellors, indicating the underrepresentation of women in other senior management roles, such as pro-vice-chancellor, registrar, treasurer, and controller of examinations. In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the factors affecting women's career progression in higher education management, this qualitative study conducted semi-structured interviews with 48 women in various management positions, alongside a focus group discussion. The data was subjected to thematic analysis, revealing the multifaceted challenges and limitations impeding women's advancement to senior management positions. The findings suggest that factors such as women's non-assertive behavior, preferentialism, Queen Bee syndrome, subtle discrimination, lack of professional ambition, and limited awareness of legal rights are the most significant barriers to women's advancement in senior positions. Interestingly, themes related to women's families were found to have the lowest frequency scores