Impact of Glass Ceiling Effect on Women’s Career Progress: Evidence from Three, Four- and Five-Star Hotels in Kandy District

Abstract

ABSTRACT This research was conducted to identify the Impact of the Glass Ceiling Effect on Women’s Career Progress at Three, Four, and Five-Star Hotels in Kandy District, which comes under the Human Resource Management subjective area under Gendered Organizational Theory. This research focused on five main glass-ceiling determinants as independent variables. They were; Family and Social Commitment, Internal Job Mobility, Organizational Culture, Level of Job Performance, Level of Educational and Professional Qualifications. Women's Empowerment was the mediator of this research study, while Women’s Career progress was the dependent variable. To conduct the research study effectively, the researcher established research questions and built general and specific research objectives based on the research questions. They were; to identify the impact of the glass ceiling effect on women empowerment, to identify the determinants that affect women's career progress, identify the impact of glass ceiling determinants on women's empowerment, and to identify the impact of the glass ceiling effect and women's career progress through women empowerment at 3 and above star hotels in Kandy District. This study was done based on the primary and secondary data gathered by the researcher. Primary data were collected through a self administered questionnaire, which was share through the google form and 15 questionnaires were distributed physically. All together questionnaire was distributed among 123 respondents along with the Simple Random Sampling method during the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022. The data was processed and analyzed using SPSS (descriptive analysis) and structural equation modeling in Smart PLS. According to the analysis, demographic factors did not show a strong significance to the research. As well as, according to the hypothesis testing, only H2 (There is an impact of IJM on WE) and H8 (There is an impact of OC on WCP) were rejected due to having a lower P-Value than 0.05. Other than Internal Job Mobility and Level of Educational and Professional Qualification, mediator had a significant impact on the dependent variable. In conclusion, this research was able to answer all the research questions while achieving research objectives. By conducting awareness programs for the family members and society and encouraging colleagues groups to appreciate women workers, delegate authority when and where necessary, give opportunities for the women employees for the job enrichment, enlargement, and job rotation help to uplift their career progress. Moreover rebuilding organizational structure by designing job descriptions and specifications that are beneficial for female workers, allocating flexible working hours, and designing a work-friendly environment helpsto empower women while uplifting their career progress. Doing necessary and unbiased performance appraisals and based on that providing training and rewards make up the career growth of women as a success. Providing scholarships and allocating flexible working environment to enhance the educational and professional qualifications of the women helps to achieve their personal goals while ending up with a qualified women workforce in the hotel sector. These are some recommendations to overcome barriers in the hotel sector women's career progress through women empowerment. Future researchers can do qualitative research regarding the same research study where they can expose several other issues related to women's career progress in the hotel sector. In addition, research can done on women’s career progress by considering all the types of hotels in Sri Lanka as the site. Keywords; Glass Ceiling Effect, Family and Social Commitment, Internal Job Mobility, Organizational Culture, Level of Job Performance, Level of Educational and Professional Qualifications, Women Empowerment, Women Career Progress