Factors Influencing Women Advancement to Managerial Positions in Kenya.A Case Study of Former Meru District Public Service Officers

Abstract

This study focused on the factors that influence women advancement to managerial positions in Kenya. The objective of this research was to determine the factors that hinder the process of women advancement to top managerial levels. Thus the study addressed variables such as, education, social-cultural practices, family obligations, and enabling environment. The research design used was a descriptive research design. The design helped to answer the questions such as how, what, when, and where. Thus the design was suitable to answer the questions concerning the current status of women in career advancement. The research focused on former Meru District public civil servants sector which had two hundred eighty two (252) officers consisting of management and working staff. Former Meru district was used as a representative district for all other districts in Kenya because they all assume same values, working policies, code of ethics and regulations and administrative requirements which are essential to the ministerial places The researcher used stratified random sampling to select a sample of 56(five six) respondents and interviewed them using self-administered questionnaire to collect data. The researcher used drop and pick method to administer the questionnaires. The data was processed and analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics such as means of occurrences or central tendencies was used for analysis. A logit regression model was used to analyze the data. The results were presented in summary reports, and tables based on those tests and analysis of research dimensions. Research findings were used to conclude on hypotheses and recommendations given concerning hose factors that hinder women advancement to managerial positions in public sector. The findings indicated that women are affected in their advancement to managerial positions by social-cultural factors, professional / career development, enabling environment and family obligation significantly, thus the researcher recommends that these factors should be addressed effectively if women are going to break through the glass-ceiling. The research was conducted in an ethical manner so as to build, uphold trust and cooperation that was aimed at generating valid and reliable study results.