“…This job segregation reflects stereotypical views of female and male traits, linked to their aptitudes for certain occupations (Powell, 1999). Centrality of family, the importance of parent–child ties, and well‐differentiated gender roles therefore influence women's professional experiences (Karam, Afiouni, & Nasr, 2013; Karam & Jamali, 2013; Moghadam, 2004). Our interviews indicate that Jordanian women are more inclined to work in specific domains and not others:Men make up a high proportion of the working force in the country….…”
The practice of wasta dominates all aspects of Arabs' lives; it is a parallel inegalitarian system that categorizes people according to their connections. One of the epicenters of wasta is human resources management (HRM). This article studies the concept of wasta in the Arab world by examining its use in HRM according to gender, in the case of the Jordanian public sector. Results obtained from 27 semi‐structured interviews of HR managers indicate that though wasta is an important feature of HRM in general, there is a notable discrepancy between male and female employees, with the former displaying higher tendencies for using wasta than the latter. An explanation for this finding is the prevalent masculine nature of Jordanian society, which entails social caveats related to the traditional role of women. Professional determinants, such as gendered job segregation and variance in qualifications, also affect men's and women's access to wasta.
“…This job segregation reflects stereotypical views of female and male traits, linked to their aptitudes for certain occupations (Powell, 1999). Centrality of family, the importance of parent–child ties, and well‐differentiated gender roles therefore influence women's professional experiences (Karam, Afiouni, & Nasr, 2013; Karam & Jamali, 2013; Moghadam, 2004). Our interviews indicate that Jordanian women are more inclined to work in specific domains and not others:Men make up a high proportion of the working force in the country….…”
The practice of wasta dominates all aspects of Arabs' lives; it is a parallel inegalitarian system that categorizes people according to their connections. One of the epicenters of wasta is human resources management (HRM). This article studies the concept of wasta in the Arab world by examining its use in HRM according to gender, in the case of the Jordanian public sector. Results obtained from 27 semi‐structured interviews of HR managers indicate that though wasta is an important feature of HRM in general, there is a notable discrepancy between male and female employees, with the former displaying higher tendencies for using wasta than the latter. An explanation for this finding is the prevalent masculine nature of Jordanian society, which entails social caveats related to the traditional role of women. Professional determinants, such as gendered job segregation and variance in qualifications, also affect men's and women's access to wasta.
“…Fueled by their rejection of the strict, dominant gender roles and patriarchal sociocultural values (Afiouni ; Al Dajani and Marlow ; Itani, Sidani, and Baalbaki ; Karam, Afiouni, and Nasr ; Tlaiss ), the Lebanese women entrepreneurs choose alternative, nontraditional career paths. Pursuing their career choices and shaped by their individual battles, the women in this study construct their perceptions of entrepreneurial leaders based on their own self‐conceptualizations.…”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Lebanon is described as a patriarchal, masculine country that favors a traditional division of labor and promotes highly distinct, strictly defined gender roles (Tlaiss ). From childhood, Arabs learn how to enact and behave according to gender and are expected to adhere to ascribed gender roles and prescribed behaviors stereotyped as male or female (Karam, Afiouni, and Nasr ; Tlaiss ). Most segments of Lebanese society continue to define women by their domestic responsibilities as homemakers, mothers, and wives, and these expectations govern women's socially acceptable career choices (Tlaiss ).…”
Section: Theoretical Frameworkmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…The centrality of the family and the framing of domestic responsibilities and childcare as female are frequently reported to hinder Arab women's careers (Karam, Afiouni, and Nasr ; Tlaiss ). Women who choose to pursue careers outside home generally do so in sectors considered to be socially acceptable, such as education and healthcare, and occupy lower‐level roles and positions (Tlaiss ).…”
In this paper, we apply insights from poststructuralist feminist theory to contribute to entrepreneurial leadership. By drawing on 21 individual narratives with Lebanese women entrepreneurs, we explore how they determine their status as entrepreneurial leaders and establish their entrepreneurial identities. Although the factors of gender, sociocultural values, and agency can be counteractive, it is agency that creates space for entrepreneurship for women and provides them a means to navigate structural inequalities. The entrepreneurs in this study engage in compliance, disregard, and defiance strategies to expand the boundaries of what is socially permissible for women and to strengthen their identities. This research contributes to studies on entrepreneurial leadership and aids in the development of theory by demonstrating how Arab women construct entrepreneurial leadership, agency, and identity at the juncture of patriarchy, sociocultural values, and gender ideologies.
“…For the relation between women, work and Islam, see Sidani (2005). For a discussion on how institutional factors create variations among Arab countries, see Karam, Afiouni, and Nasr (2013). 10.…”
While there is a common belief that female labour indicators in Arab countries demonstrate a problematic situation, little is understood about the varieties within countries in that region. This paper attempts to draw a segmentation of the Arab world to show how different countries differ in this regard. It looks at two specific measures: the level of female participation as a percentage of male participation (FPM), and the female earned income to male income (FIM). Statistics from 20 Arab countries generated four clusters in which those countries are classified. Female labour indicators in most countries in the Arab world show similar patterns found in other countries in their stage of development. This confirms earlier research that indicates that women's labour participation decreases as societies move away from agriculture into manufacturing, services and industry. Only four countries are identified as outliers whose labour indicators can be understood within the context of the cultural values that dominate. The implications are discussed and individual research on female labour within each Arab country is invited.
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