FACTORS AFFECTING PARTICIPATION OF FEMALE STAFF MEMBERS IN MANAGERIAL POSITIONS: THE CASE OF THREE SELECTED PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Females face multi-faceted challenges to participate in management position due to different factors. The purpose of this research is to assess factors which affect female staff members’ participation and to show how to advance their participation in leadership positions. This thesis is based on the fact that there are less female managers than their counterparts in the universities. The objective of this study is to assess the factors that affect participation of female staff members in managerial positions in some selected universities. It also aimed to examine the major barriers that hinder female staff members from participation in managerial positions and to evaluate the performance of those women staffs who are manager in their universities. In order to meet these objectives, both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used. The data was collected by interviewing and conducting questionnaires for both to directorates of the universities to explore the current management practices in the universities and to assess the factors for low representation of female staff members in managerial positions. Consequently, stratified sampling with simple random was used to select the respondents. The findings showed that female staff members are highly underrepresented in higher level positions due to some factors such as, personal factors, lack of confidence in terms of proving their managerial capacity, home life factors, less willingness to take additional burden, high family responsibility and lack of job division at their home. Absence of affirmative action and less confidence for the position are also some of the factors deferring females from participation in managerial positions. Thus, the universities need to implement affirmative action at managerial level, as well need to set gender criteria while assigning employees at managerial positions. Gender directorates of universities should also be one of stakeholders as explained in recommendations.