Abstract:
Although women are being actively elevated to top management positions in recent
years, they still have to put up with some unpalatable experiences in order to achieve
personal and organisational goals. In this study, the qualitative approach was adopted
to examine the experiences of female directors in the Electricity Company of Ghana
(ECG). Particularly, the study relied on interviews and participant observatio n to
generate the data. Based on thematic analysis and via the lens of the Stereotype and
Feminist Standpoint theories, the study observed that despite occupying leadership
positions, there were constraints of female directors to perform the their roles and
fu nctions. The study also found that the authority of these women sometimes suffered
resistance from colleagues and subordinates. Additionally, female leaders in the ECG
are sometimes excluded from decision decision-making processes on occasion they should be
involve d. The analysis also show that gendered discrimination is somewhat
institutionalised in this organisation with other women contributing to the
discrimination against women leaders. In ascertaining how these practices are dealt
with, the participants indica ted that the they employ resilience, avoidance and
confrontational strategies. The study recommends that government institutions should
develop stringent regulations to deal with such issues in order to ensure equity and
organisational growth.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Strategic Communication,
School of Communication and Media Studies, submitted to the
School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the award of degree of
Master of Arts
(Communication and Media Studies)
in the University of Education, Winneba
MARCH, 2023