Advancing women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics to leadership roles at a South African Research Institute.

Abstract

This study titled "Advancing women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics to leadership roles at a South African Research Institute" explores the factors influencing the under-representation of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in leadership roles within this institution, the strategies they use to navigate these challenges, and their perceived role of leadership in their advancement discourse. Despite significant progress toward gender parity, there remains a noticeable disparity between men and women in leadership positions, particularly within STEM fields. This study focuses on one of the public research institutes in South Africa, where the number of women in STEM leadership roles is still low compared to that of men. Through a multi-theoretical approach, the research investigates the challenges and barriers women in STEM face in advancing their careers to leadership roles. Using a semi-structured interview guide, the study adopted an interpretative phenomenological approach to understand the experiences of these women. Data were collected from 12 participants based in the Gauteng region over two months. A reflexive thematic analysis method was used to identify broad patterns within the data. The findings suggest that women in STEM face various challenges in their quest for leadership roles, as STEM environments are still male-dominated with subtle masculine cultures. Meaningful progress has been made in transforming the organization, but the work-life imbalance, and stringent structure of the career ladder emerged as barriers to advancement. These findings highlight the need to review some organizational practices and foster inclusive leadership.