Organizational Strategies for Promoting Women to Key Managerial Positions in Public Organizations: Overcoming Glass Barriers Through a Succession Planning Approach
Keywords:
Organizational strategies, women’s career advancement, public organizations, succession planningAbstract
The present study was conducted with the aim of developing organizational strategies for promoting women to managerial positions in public organizations by overcoming glass barriers through a succession planning approach. Given the exploratory nature of the research topic, the study adopted a qualitative methodology and employed thematic analysis. Research data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 academic experts, senior managers, and women employed in the public sector. Sampling was carried out using purposive sampling combined with the snowball technique, and data analysis was performed through open, axial, and selective coding procedures. Ultimately, 73 basic themes were identified and categorized into 16 organizing themes and 5 overarching themes. These themes included empowerment and skill development, supportive organizational culture, talent identification, women’s professional innovation, and women’s career advancement. The findings indicate that the implementation of succession planning programs grounded in these themes can facilitate the overcoming of glass barriers and enhance women’s participation in managerial levels.
Downloads
References
1. DeHart‐Davis L, Hatmaker DM, Nelson K, Pandey SK, Pandey S, Smith AE. Gender Imbalance in Public Sector Leadership. 2020. doi: 10.1017/9781108761352.
2. Nsana S, Daka H. Strengthening Gender Equality in Decision Making in Public Administration in Zambia. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science. 2023;X(XI):352-68. doi: 10.47772/ijriss.2023.7011028.
3. Awom TES, Komboy MNI. Gender Inequality in Women Leadership of Public Sector Institutions in Papua, Indonesia. International Journal of Social Science. 2025;4(5):589-94. doi: 10.53625/ijss.v4i5.9707.
4. Mau TA. “Representative Bureaucracy as a Leadership Issue: The Canadian Case”. International Journal of Public Leadership. 2020;16(4):393-410. doi: 10.1108/ijpl-06-2020-0060.
5. Gregory S. Emerging Issues in Gender and Leadership. 2023:55-67. doi: 10.4018/978-1-6684-8257-5.ch004.
6. Vinnicombe S, Mavin S. Reflections on Women’s Progress Into Leadership in the UK and Suggested Areas for Future Research. Gender in Management an International Journal. 2022;38(2):248-54. doi: 10.1108/gm-07-2022-0240.
7. Raišienė AG, Gečienė J, Korsakienė R. Challenges of Women Leaders in Female and Male Dominated Occupations. International Journal of Business and Society. 2021;21(3):1277-95. doi: 10.33736/ijbs.3349.2020.
8. Измайлова МА, Korneva EY, Tsurkan М. The Problem of Female Leadership in Corporate Governance. Ars Administrandi (Искусство Управления). 2023;15(3):426-46. doi: 10.17072/2218-9173-2023-3-426-446.
9. Stroi OO. Gender-Biased Language of the Workplace. Discourse. 2020;5(6):120-31. doi: 10.32603/2412-8562-2019-5-6-120-131.
10. Zeler I, Fuentes-Lara C, Moreno Á. Female Leadership In communication Management In Spain: Making a Difference In a sexist Culture. Corporate Communications an International Journal. 2022;27(5):74-92. doi: 10.1108/ccij-04-2022-0047.
11. Oumer J, Yilma MT. Redressing Gender Inequality in Academic Rank and Leadership at Addis Ababa University. Eje. 2024;44(1):43-88. doi: 10.63990/eje.v44i1.10029.
12. Ludaka V. Women’s Inclusion in Political Decision Making in Malawi: Determinants, Barriers, and Pathways. Gender and Sustainability in the Global South. 2025. doi: 10.1515/gsgs-2024-0012.
13. Guragain GP. Examining Gender Diversity in Local Government Elections in Nepal: A Review. Triyuga Academic Journal. 2024;3(1):97-113. doi: 10.3126/taj.v3i1.71975.
14. Jovin G, Tarimo EA. Women and Administrative Leadership Positions in Local Government Authorities in Tanzania. International Journal of Business Management and Economic Review. 2023;06(02):38-50. doi: 10.35409/ijbmer.2023.3471.
15. Siregar YS, Nurdin N, Rivai FH. An Analysis of the Implementation of Gender Mainstreaming in the Placement of Female Police Officers as Competency-Based Sector Police Chiefs in the Metro Jaya Police. Dia Jurnal Ilmiah Administrasi Publik. 2023;21(01):398-409. doi: 10.30996/dia.v21i01.8103.
16. Acerete B, Gasca M, Yetano A. Effects of Gender Equality Regulations in the Presence ofWomen in Spanish Hybrid Entities. Reforma Y Democracia. 2022(83):71-102. doi: 10.69733/clad.ryd.n83.a265.
17. Larasati NPA. Gender Inequality in Indonesia: Facts and Legal Analysis. Law Research Review Quarterly. 2021;7(4):445-58. doi: 10.15294/lrrq.v7i4.48170.
18. Mark L, Simiyu AN, Omondi M. Relationship Between Individualized Consideration and Succession Management of Employees in the Public Sector in Kenya. African Journal of Empirical Research. 2025;6(1):463-73. doi: 10.51867/ajernet.6.1.39.
19. Kanu A. Leadership Transition in the Sierra Leone Public Health Sector: Is It Succession or Supercession? Journal of Human Resource and Leadership. 2025;10(3):26-42. doi: 10.47604/jhrl.3544.
20. Kanu A. Health Sector Succession Planning and Management Practices in Sierra Leone: A Situation Analysis to Inform Health System Strengthening. International Journal of Leadership and Governance. 2025;5(4):40-62. doi: 10.47604/ijlg.3501.
21. Denend L, McCutcheon S, Regan MA, Álvarez M, Yock PG, Azagury DE. Analysis of Gender Perceptions in Health Technology: A Call to Action. Annals of Biomedical Engineering. 2020;48(5):1573-86. doi: 10.1007/s10439-020-02478-0.
22. Nocco SE, Larson AR. Promotion of Women Physicians in Academic Medicine. Journal of Women S Health. 2021;30(6):864-71. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2019.7992.
23. Farrukh K, Baqai S. Women in Healthcare Leadership- Maintaining Work-Life Balance. Annals of King Edward Medical University. 2024;29(Spl3):222-3. doi: 10.21649/akemu.v29ispl3.5549.
24. Andrews R. Do Women Leaders of Nonprofit Public Service Organisations Help to Reduce the Gender Pay Gap? Policy & Politics. 2023;51(2):206-30. doi: 10.1332/030557321x16753329868574.
25. Abudaqa A, Alsabiri H, Alhammadi S, Almenhali A, Alkhawaja AAA, Alqubaisi S. Bridging the Gender Gap: Initiatives for Empowering Women in the Oil and Gas Sector in Abu Dhabi, UAE. 2024. doi: 10.2118/222331-ms.
26. Chi N. Women's Career in Vietnamese Academia: An Analysis From Multiple Lenses. 2022. doi: 10.31219/osf.io/s4qhx.
27. Elvidge EL. Gender Differences in Time Taken for Peer Review and Publishing Output in the Physical Sciences. European Science Editing. 2023;49. doi: 10.3897/ese.2023.e78084.
28. Adamu RO. Women Participation in Nigerian Politics: Challenges and Prospects to Nigerian Democracy. International Journal of Humanity Studies (Ijhs). 2023;6(2):301-14. doi: 10.24071/ijhs.v6i2.5295.
29. Bibilashvili L, Kaladze N, Bandzeladze M. Career Development and Leadership Opportunities in Public Relations From Georgian Perspective. CJSS. 2024;14(1):43-61. doi: 10.62343/cjss.2021.197.
30. Prager L. Emirati Women Leaders in the Cultural Sector. Hawwa. 2020;18(1):51-74. doi: 10.1163/15692086-12341370.
31. Majstorović M, Cvijić L, Radosavljević M. Real Estate Business Is Ruled by Women - Myth or Truth. 2021. doi: 10.18690/978-961-286-442-2.39.
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Mona Jahanian (Author); Farhad Nejad Haji Ali Irani; Yahya Dadash Karimi, Esmaeil Omranzadeh (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
