Women and Leadership in Bahrain (original) (raw)

Abstract

Most leaders in public, private, and social sectors across the globe now acknowledge the importance of developing both men and women for formal leadership positions, and scholars (e.g., Bass, 1990; Bennis, 1989) have conducted leadership studies for decades in various disciplines (e.g., education, management, psychology) to better understand how to effectively do this. Within the human resource development (HRD) field, Kowske and Anthony (2007), Ardichvili and Manderscheid (2008), and Madsen (2009, 2012a, 2012b) have specifically highlighted the importance of studying leadership development within the United States of America and beyond. Yet, studies coming from any discipline about developing women leaders in countries around the globe are just now starting to emerge. Few studies of women in leadership are found currently in countries within the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region. Interesting though, and emphasized by the paucity of study, Zahra (2011) has suggested that the Middle East is actually "fertile ground" (p. 18) for scholarship. Scholarship, particularly in relation to the gap between the number of highly qualified women available and the actual incidence of females in leadership positions within these countries. The different political, social, and economic climates within the MENA countries bring additional complexity to the role of women in the region. According to the Arab Women

Key takeaways

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  1. The study investigates women's representation in senior leadership roles in Bahrain's public and private sectors.
  2. Only 18% of leadership roles in Saudi Arabia are held by women, indicating a broader regional trend.
  3. MENA region ranks last globally in closing gender gaps, achieving only 58% closure as of 2011.
  4. Top enablers for women in leadership include economic environment (69%), perception (59%), and education (59%).
  5. This research aims to inform scholars and practitioners about women's leadership development in Bahrain.

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