STICKY FLOOR: IDENTIFYING BARRIERS TO PROMOTE WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP IN GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS OF ILAM PROVINCE WITH A QUALITATIVE APPROACH

Abstract

A small number of women have been assigned in managerial positions of Iranian public sector and their number in high-level managerial positions is very low. Eliminating barriers to women promotion and increasing the number of women in managerial positions at public sector depends on identifying factors influencing the glass ceiling. The aim of this study was to identify the leadership promotion barriers of women in governmental organizations to of
Ilam Province using a qualitative approach. Methodology used in this study was a qualitative method based on the text bases and subjective data. In this research, the purposive sampling method, including favorable cases sampling was used. Thus, the most important factors and parameters influencing the promotion of women's leadership barriers in Ilam Province were identified through interviews with people who were expert in respective fields as well as individual interviews, and the results of interviews were analyzed. The findings of the study
as the qualitative data obtained after performing the process were analyzed; the social, political factors, organizational and individual factors formed the factors affecting the “Sticky Floor” in Ilam Province. Concluding based on the results, assuming women as weak individuals and lack of socialization among the social factors, lack of certain non-governmental institutions and organizations and men colleagues refusal to follow the female managers among the political factors, lack of women's organizations and associations s well as lack of support and encouragement from others among the organizational factors, and the women's fear of failure, lack self-esteem and self-confidence in them among the individual factors had the greatest impact on “Sticky Floor” in Ilam Province.

Keywords: Glass Ceiling, Sticky Floor, Promotion Barriers, Women, Ilam Province.