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The purpose of this paper is to address the research gap on Lebanese women managers and to demonstrate how gender, work, and family factors influence the career advancement of women managers.

The research is qualitative in nature. A total of 32 in‐depth face‐to face interviews were conducted with 32 women managers.

Interview data reveal that Lebanese women managers do not perceive gender‐centered factors as obstacles to career advancement. The women in the study used different terms to describe the impact of gender, work, and family factors on their career progression to those found in existing literature. Their responsibilities towards their families were not perceived as barriers hindering their career progress. In addition, their personality traits, aspirations for management, levels of educational attainment and work experience, and family‐related factors were also not perceived as inhibiting their careers.

The paper provides new practical insights into the relationships and the interconnections between Arab society, women, and their managerial careers. A strong theme is the significant role of Wasta, the reliance and dependence on social connections versus personal education and achievements to achieve career progress, in enhancing career progression and how gender is less of a criterion in the presence of Wasta.

This paper contributes to the limited knowledge about women and management in Lebanon, as well as the Middle Eastern region in general.

This research examined the different profile of individual, opportunity structure, and career strategy variables related to both objective (salary) and subjective (self‐perceived) career success. Questionnaire data were obtained from a stratified sample of 723 full‐time employees at several higher education institutions in the north of England. Controlling for age, tenure, gender, and occupation, a different profile of factors predicted objective and subjective career success. The highest objective career success was reported by employees with a high level of education, who worked in larger organizations with well‐structured progression ladders and invested considerable effort in their work role. In contrast, the highest subjective career success was reported by employees who were high on work centrality, who worked in organizations with well‐structured progression ladders and employment security, and who networked frequently yet reported a lack of ambition. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed, together with avenues for further research.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of lesbians in terms of career progression and development, focusing on several areas including, discrimination in the workplace, career resources, barriers to career development and the importance of disclosing one’s sexual identity in the workplace.

Interviews were conducted with 15 participants, 14 of whom had disclosed their sexuality at work. A grounded theory approach was used to conduct the analysis, and the findings suggested six core categories relating to the career experiences of the sample. These categories are: social climate; career choice; work environment; personality; being a lesbian and being a woman; and useful strategies.

The analysis highlighted several key findings, such as the importance of the relationship between gender and sexuality; the importance of working within a policy-driven environment such as the public sector; the importance of personality and the modification of behaviour as a personal resource for lesbians in the workplace. The research also highlighted the fact that discrimination still occurs at work but manifests itself in different and often more subtle ways and it was reported that, despite protective legislation, one of the greatest challenges for lesbians is working within a heterosexist and heteronormative environment.

There is a great deal of research dedicated to women’s career development but less on certain subgroups of women and even less on the career development of lesbians in organisations, and it is the aim of this paper to address the lack of research pertaining to the careers of lesbians in the UK.

The purpose of this paper is to identify issues in the long-term development of project workers, their career paths, their contribution to organizational success and their need for equity of opportunity. The long-term development of project workers, their career paths and their contribution to organizational success is explored.

A qualitative research design using semi-structured interviews was employed to gain an understanding of social and human issues related to careers in project management (PM). By researching the lived experiences and feelings of those pursuing a career in PM the aim was to gain insight into the career journeys and experiences of practicing project managers.

Those who choose to pursue a career in PM have the personal characteristics and sufficiently high levels of self-efficacy to deal effectively with the uncertainty inherent in the nature of projects and of project-based employment.

Participants were drawn from current project practitioners. As a result, the views of those who have worked on projects and chosen not to continue their career in the area have not been gathered.

Predictions are that there will be a continuing demand for project managers with the capabilities required to deliver successful projects. The challenge for organizations is to create an environment that will encourage greater numbers of people to embrace the uncertainty of project. The findings reported provide insight into how organizations might attract, develop and retain the project expertise they require for success.

This research provides further understanding into the lived experience of project managers, with a focus on those who have unexpectedly found themselves pursuing a career in PM.

The increase in general managerial roles held by women has failed to translate into senior management positions in many countries. The paper aims to focus on the experiences of two groups of female and male managers in two diverse countries and how these groups of employees view career advancement and how this perspective may relate to the lack of women in senior managerial roles.

This study adopts deductive reasoning to understand social practice as a means by which and how senior management identities are perceived and whether these roles are attainable. A survey was administered to female and male managers in Malaysia and in Australia.

The findings indicate that women in two countries studied still have significant responsibilities for performing family duties, and bringing up children. In particular, the Malaysian respondents viewed family and personal responsibilities as their greatest impediment to attaining senior management positions. Hence, they are unable to contemplate both careers and families, a view strongly supported by the Australian women as well.

Societal expectations on women in certain cultures are still strongly entrenched because they believe that they are required to comply with the social roles by prioritising marital obligations over any desire for senior management careers.

This article aims to introduce a three‐level, 11‐factor framework for women's career progression. The framework summarizes the factors that genuinely do make a difference when it comes to women's career progression.

The article combines the introduction of a theoretical framework based on a review of academic literature with a real life client case study to illustrate the power for using a structured, research based and data driven approach to identifying career barriers for women's career progression.

The article shares high‐level findings from the organizational audit and highlights the main lessons learnt during this process.

The article sets out the key areas for consideration when trying to boost the number of senior women in an organization and outlines the reasons for failure of many programs. Furthermore, it points to best practice in designing interventions to increase the number of women in senior roles.

The article introduces a new, research‐driven framework for women's career advancement and provides a client case study that illustrates how a rigorous, research and data‐driven approach to identifying career barriers for women helps to provide and defend recommendations for increasing the number of women in senior roles.

It has been argued by Lepine (1992) and others that certain distinct career patterns are typical of the careers of women managers and that these may not correspond to a typical male model of a continuous, linear progression. Considers the career patterns of male and female accountants. It shows that male accountants are more likely than female accountants to follow a continuous linear path and that this type of career path has higher remuneration levels. This may partly explain differences in salary levels between male and female accountants but does not explain differences in salary levels found within particular career patterns. Assesses the effect of this cultural emphasis on those, both men and women, whose careers exhibit different characteristics.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the strategies that New Zealand chartered accountants use to combine work and family responsibilities, and to relate these strategies to chartered accountants' career success.

The study analysed qualitative career history data obtained from interviews with 69 male and female experienced chartered accountants.

A comprehensive work/family strategy typology for New Zealand chartered accountants was developed. The five types identified were Traditional Men, Traditional Women, Work First Women, Family Balancers, and Stepping Stone Men. In general, those who followed a male linear career model (Traditional Men and Work First Women) demonstrated higher levels of career success. Some notable exceptions showed that career success could be achieved by those with higher levels of family responsibilities, if the employing organisation does not demand rigid conformance with the linear career model.

The purposeful bias in the sample selection and the diversity in the interviewees' workplaces decrease the study's generalisability. But those factors contributed to the ability to identify a wide range of current work/family strategies.

The paper provides a basis for the accountancy profession to adapt to the feminisation of the profession and the increasing demands for work/life balance by developing policies and practices targeted at enhancing career progression for a more diverse range of work/family strategic types than is currently recognised.

There are no prior data describing the diversity in New Zealand chartered accountants' work/family strategies.

This paper seeks to examine the career patterns and labour mobility of managers in the convention and exhibition industry in Australia, an example of a new emerging industry within the service sector.

Through the use of the technique of life and work history analysis, career information was gathered from a sample of individuals employed within the various sectors of this industry in Australia. The information was then analysed using a range of descriptive and evaluative statistical tests.

Results indicated the emergence of a new career pattern – “butterfly” progress. This could be identified as an extension and development of the boundaryless career model, where the individual is clearly in charge of his/her career but where he/she “flutters” between sectors in order to build up human capital and progress his/her career.

Though the research was undertaken in a specific industry sector the results indicate that the concept of “butterfly” progress may be part of the developments in contemporary career patterns or a gender issue. Further research in other industries dominated by women is suggested.

Outcomes from this study have implications for management development in relation to a different pattern of job progression and subsequent staff development opportunities. This may require the development of alternative strategies for the successful recruitment and retention of managers within the convention and exhibition organisation.

This is the first time such a research study has been undertaken in the convention and exhibition industry. The paper provides practical outcomes for potential entrants and managers in this sector.

This study aims to explicate the role of “respectable femininity” norms in the work lives of professional women and investigate the extent to which they impact female career advancement (or lack thereof) by way of creating a clash with the traditional career management techniques of accumulating social capital and managing desirable impression.

The qualitative research design was deemed appropriate for the study to gain an insight of the incumbents’ work experiences. The opinions, thoughts, experiences and expressions of the participants were gauged through in-depth, semi-structured interviews to ensure the coverage of all the relevant aspects while retaining the flexibility to obtain rich and detailed data beyond the preconceived questions.

It was found that working women in Pakistan feeling guilty of violating the norm of “confinement to private spheres” appeared obliged to abide by the respectable femininity principles of “domesticity”, “restrained networking” and “toning down their femininity” to maintain an “honourable” reputation/image in the society; however, these norms, in turn, created a significant hurdle in their career advancement by way of constraining their capacity to exploit the career management techniques of accumulating “social capital” and employing “impression management” tactics.

This research will add credence to the scant literature pertaining to the role of “respectable femininity” in the professional lives of working women. The study showcases the female’s enigmatic struggle of becoming a “good woman” and a “successful careerist” at the same time which culminates in to a series of subtle barriers in their professional careers mounting ultimately to become a significant panel of “glass ceiling” in their progression.