Career capital development of women in the Arab Middle East context: addressing the pipeline block

Payyazhi Jayashree, Valerie Lindsay, Grace McCarthy 

Personnel Review

ISSN: 0048-3486

Publication date: 8 April 2020 

Abstract

Purpose

Taking a career capital approach, this paper addresses the issue of “pipeline block” frequently experienced by women seeking career advancement. Focusing on the Arab Middle East (AME) region, the authors take a contextually relevant multi-level approach to examine these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a qualitative, interview-based approach, drawing on data obtained from women leaders from the AME region. Drawing on Bourdieu's capital-field-habitus framework, we explore how women in the AME developed career capital in particular organisational fields.

Findings

The findings show the importance of human and social capital, as well as the influence of habitus for women's career advancement in specific fields. The study also highlights the unique contribution of cultural capital in helping women to navigate organisational fields where it is necessary to both challenge, and conform to, traditional norms.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations of the study include assumptions of homogeneity across countries of the AME, whereas differences are known to exist. Future research should consider these contextual differences, and also include a study of women who were not successful in gaining career advancement.

Practical implications

The study’s multi-level approach highlights practical implications for women, organisations and society. For organisations, the authors propose some context-relevant coaching strategies that can help women to attain leadership positions.

Social implications

The study’s multi-level approach highlights practical implications for women, organisations,and society. Focusing on organisations, the authors propose some context-relevant coaching strategies that can help women to attain advancement in their careers.

Originality/value

The study demonstrates originality in the findings by showing how women overcome the pipeline block in relation to their career advancement. The use of the Bourdieusian framework, an in-depth qualitative approach, and the AME context also add to the study's originality.

Acknowledgements

This research is an outcome of collaboration between University of Wollongong in Dubai and Dubai Business Women Council (DBWC), Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and is funded by the UAE National Research Foundation Grant, University ‐ Industry Research Collaboration Award (UIRCA 2014-689). The researchers would like to acknowledge the contribution of the participants of this research and also the generous support of all the members of the community in the many debates and seminars held as part of the research. We are also very grateful to the editors and reviewers whose constructive suggestions have greatly enhanced the quality of this paper.

Citation

Jayashree, P., Lindsay, V. and McCarthy, G. (2020), "Career capital development of women in the Arab Middle East context: addressing the pipeline block", Personnel Review, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-10-2018-0436

Publisher Emerald Publishing Limited

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