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British South Asian women managers and professionals: experiences of work and family

Baljit Kaur Rana (Baljit Kaur Rana is a PhD Research Student, Carolyn Kagan is Principal Lecturer, Suzan Lewis is Reader in Pscyhology and Usha Rout is Senior Lecturer, all within the Department of Psychology and Speech Psychology, The Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK)
Carolyn Kagan (Carolyn Kagan is Principal Lecturer, Suzan Lewis is Reader in Pscyhology and Usha Rout is Senior Lecturer, all within the Department of Psychology and Speech Psychology, The Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK)
Suzan Lewis (Suzan Lewis is Reader in Pscyhology and Usha Rout is Senior Lecturer, all within the Department of Psychology and Speech Psychology, The Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK)
Usha Rout (Usha Rout is Senior Lecturer, all within the Department of Psychology and Speech Psychology, The Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK)

Women in Management Review

ISSN: 0964-9425

Article publication date: 1 September 1998

2379

Abstract

Even though an increasing number of British South Asian women have moved into paid employment over the years as a reflection of social and cultural mobility and change, their work‐family experiences are not widely reported. This paper examines the experiences of British South Asian full‐time managerial or professional women combining work and family life. A qualitative study based in the north‐west of England was conducted utilising semi‐structured interviews with 17 women. Five themes are discussed: cultural influences on domestic responsibilities; additional responsibilities and commitments to extended family and community members; work‐family priorities and “superwoman syndrome”; stereotypes of roles and responsibilities at work; and experiences of discrimination. Managerial or professional British South Asian women are subjected to the same cultural family commitments and expectations as other non‐professional British South Asian working women. Practical implications of the findings are related to managing diversity approaches and organisational culture change.

Keywords

Citation

Kaur Rana, B., Kagan, C., Lewis, S. and Rout, U. (1998), "British South Asian women managers and professionals: experiences of work and family", Women in Management Review, Vol. 13 No. 6, pp. 221-232. https://doi.org/10.1108/09649429810232173

Publisher

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MCB UP Ltd

Copyright © 1998, MCB UP Limited

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