Advancing Women in Leadership Journal
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Exploring the work of women faculty through the lens of care: An Institutional Ethnography of caregiving and carereceiving in higher education
Full text linkIn this institutional ethnography, we explored how women faculty members at a Midwest Research University (MWU)experienced the promotion and tenure evaluation (PTE) process through the lens of feminist standpoint theory. Beginning from the standpoint of women faculty navigating the PTE process, we employed institutional ethnographic methods first to identify the work of giving and receiving care among women academic workers. We then explored the institutional and organizational ruling relations that coordinated that work. Our findings consist of the disjunctures or conflicts between the day-to-day experiences and how women faculty interact with the institutional structures that coordinate their work. Women focus group participants described feeling like they were at a disadvantage because they were experiencing additional pressure to take on caregiving work, and that their care-receiving work was undervalued; participants reported conflicts between the work and what they perceived as required by organizational PTE policy. We conclude by calling for systemic support for faculty mentoring activities. We also recommend that for these changes to be lasting, recognition for mentoring activities be included in the Promotion and tenure evaluation (PTE) process with formalized measurement methods.
Keywords: institutional ethnography, women faculty, caregiving, care receiving, receiving care, uncompensated work, ideal academic worker, promotion, tenure, career advancement, feminist standpoint theory, gender equit
Female Executives in the Sport Industry: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study
Full text linkThe purpose of this qualitative, interpretative phenomenological study was to explore how executive women working in the sport industry described their lived experiences navigating challenges to attaining executive positions. The theoretical framework for this study was the Leadership Labyrinth, which is used to identify the unique and specific challenges women may face throughout their professional careers and personal lives. The study was guided by two research questions which asked how do executive women describe their lived experiences pertaining to gender bias while working in the sport industry and how do executive women in the sport industry described their lived experiences of overcoming challenges of gender bias in attaining executive positions? The sample consisted of 12 female executives in the sport industry in the United States. The primary method of data collection was a 60–90-minute open-ended interview, and the analysis method for this research study was Heidegger’s method of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. The results of this study identify the role gender bias plays in women’s careers. Other career inhibiting factors like work-life balance, double standards, societal gender roles, stereotypes, the need for male sponsors, men as decision makers, and the Queen Bee Syndrome were identified as unique challenges. The findings of this study also outline factors and techniques used to navigate and overcome the challenges associated with gender bias including personality type, a need for confidence, building relationships, and using gender as an advantage. This study provides a unique perspective and contributes to the overall body of work pertaining to the female experience in the sport industry.
Keywords: Gender, bias, sport, Leadership Labyrinth, Queen Bee Syndrome, female, executive, phenomenolog
Navigating the Nexus: Exploring the Intersections of Race and Gender in the Experiences of Black Women Higher Education Administrators at Predominantly White Institutions
Full text linkAlthough Black women have established themselves as leaders within colleges and universities, few have advanced to the most senior levels of postsecondary administration, leaving them underrepresented in these roles (Williams et al., 2024). Existing research on Black women at this level has largely focused on the presidency, often overlooking the experiences of those serving in other executive positions (Johnson, 2025). In this phenomenological study, I examined how four Black women in executive positions perceived the influence of their racial and gendered identities on their leadership experiences at predominantly White institutions (PWIs). Guided by Black Feminist Thought, in-depth interviews explored how participants navigated their institutions. The analysis revealed participants described instances of stereotyping, exclusion, and challenges to their authority which they addressed through identity management, coalition-building, and active resistance. The findings draw attention to the persistent structural barriers Black women encounter within executive administration and their strength to adapt to institutional environments.
Keywords: Black women; higher education; executive-level administration; predominantly white institutions; phenomenology; Black Feminist Though
Analyzing Ideal Traits and Terms of Address for Male and Female College Professors
Full text linkThis study replicates and extends Rubin’s (1981) research on students’ use of address terms for their college professors to explore how gendered expectations have evolved in contemporary academic settings. Using data from 445 undergraduate students, this study examined preferred address terms across public (in class) and private (office) contexts, as well as perceptions of ideal professor traits. Descriptive and inferential analyses, including chi-square and independent-samples t-tests, revealed no statistically significant relationship between professor gender and address term choice, χ²(3, N = 445) = 3.42, p = .33, Cramer’s V= .09. However, familiarity significantly predicted informality, t(443) = 2.15, p = .03, η² = .02. Students overwhelmingly reported that how professors addressed them (84%) influenced their own choices. Results suggest remarkable stability in address-term patterns over four decades, with formality remaining the default in classroom contexts and first-name use emerging mainly in informal interactions. These findings reinforce the enduring influence of academic hierarchy and reciprocal adaptation between students and professors in shaping linguistic respect and perceived authority.
Keywords: address terms, college students, gender, professors, sex differences, titles
Differential Participation of Graduate Men and Women in Two Scientific Communities of Practice
Full text linkIn this paper the differential participation of men and women in scientific communities of practice was examined in two graduate science departments. Data from a survey questionnaire and interviews with graduate students and faculty members were used to examine students\u27 level of participation in their community of practice. Within each department, vital areas were identified which either limited or facilitated students\u27 participation. Collaboration among the members of research teams, collegiality among research groups, and diversity within the academic and student bodies facilitated students\u27 participation at various levels. In contrast, competition, lack of collaboration, and lack of collegiality and diversity, limited students\u27 participation in their communities of practice
Gender Issues in K-12 Educational Leadership
Full text linkThis paper serves as a review of the research literature on gender issues in K-12 educational leadership, with a primary focus on the principal and superintendency positions in the United States. The prominent common themes or topics found in the literature are discussed. More specifically, barriers to gender equity in educational leadership are identified, and qualities or strategies used by successful female administrators where such barriers have been broken are noted
Perceived Incompetent? The Annihilation of Women in Critical National Discourse in the Ghanaian Media
Full text linkMedia reflects and reinforces gender-based disparities. In Ghana, these inequalities exist in the media space. Despite the greater media freedom enjoyed by the Ghanaian media today, the male-dominated nature of media programming and placements has remained relatively unchanged from its experiences under the restricted media era in post-democratic Ghana. This research focuses on gender representations in media programming and placements in the Ghanaian media. We conducted a quantitative content analysis of news data collected over six weeks (July 4th - August 16th, 2022) from five primary Ghanaian TV channels: TV3, Joy News, Citi TV, GhOne, and UTV. Our findings reveal an epistemic injustice toward women, stemming from the overrepresentation of male expertise in media programs. While women appear slightly more often as program hosts, indicating greater on-screen visibility, their expertise is not utilized to the same extent as that of men. We discussed the impact of culture, media objectification, and commodification as factors influencing women\u27s presence in the Ghanaian media.
Keywords: Presumed incompetence, gender, Ghanaian media, underrepresentation, content analysi
Understanding Leadership Deficiencies and Capital Challenges in Black Women-Owned Businesses
Full text linkBlack women entrepreneurs play a vital role in the U.S. economy, launching businesses across diverse industries more expeditiously than their counterparts. Despite this growth, the lived experiences of Black female entrepreneurs in the beauty industry are permeated by challenges from conception through all stages of business development, including leadership deficiencies, capital constraints, and systemic barriers that threaten sustainability and profitability. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to explore how Black women entrepreneurs apply effective leadership practices to access capital, enhance leadership skills, and navigate operational challenges. The theoretical framework for this inquiry was Transformational Leadership Theory, serving as a lens to examine how leadership practices shape business growth and operations. Guided by the research question: What effective leadership practices do Black women entrepreneurs in the U.S. beauty industry employ to access capital for investing in leadership development training, thereby enhancing their leadership skills, mitigating operational challenges, and improving profitability? Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with ten business owners and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis. Five key themes emerged: mentorship, education and training, funding, sustainability, and business operations. Findings revealed that limited access to capital, leadership development, and mentorship hindered business growth. Leveraging leadership practices fosters profitability and long-term sustainability. This study contributes to the literature on women’s leadership by highlighting how Black women entrepreneurs can leverage effective leadership practices to expand their businesses and promote equity in underrepresented sectors.
Keywords: Black women entrepreneurs, beauty industry, leadership development, access to capital, operational challenges, business sustainabilit
"The Challenge is to Come to Work with a Smile": The Mentorship, Salary, and Relationships of Administrative Assistants in Higher Education
Full text linkAdministrative assistants play a vital role in higher education institutions in the United States by supporting faculty, staff, and students in a variety of ways. Despite providing critical day-to-day duties, administrative assistants employed in higher education lack mentorship and are underpaid and overworked, contributing to job dissatisfaction. Counter to these demotivators, administrative assistants build and sustain rewarding relationships with students and peers. To better increase job satisfaction and retention of administrative assistants, higher education leaders should consider the following findings of this qualitative study using Herzberg’s Two-Factory Theory: lack of training and mentorship, being overworked and underpaid, and building relationships, all contribute to job satisfaction for administrative assistants in higher education in the United States.
Keywords: administrative staff experiences, higher education administrative assistants, job satisfaction
Hillary Clinton\u27s Race: Did She Match the Presidential Prototype?
Full text linkThe present research addresses how voters\u27 perceptions of Hillary Clinton\u27s warmth and competence influenced decisions to vote for her in the 2008 Democratic primary. We apply research on gender stereotypes and perceptions of women leaders to demonstrate that voters perceived Clinton as highly competent but relatively less warm. Further, this research examines how perceptions of Clinton\u27s warmth and competence contributed to decisions to vote for her. Results suggest that perceptions of Clinton\u27s warmth and competence differentially predicted voting behavior for voters strongly and less strongly identified with their political party. This research provides a descriptive analysis of how voters\u27 beliefs about leaders can be colored by gender, and how such beliefs contribute to electing women candidates