Differential Participation of Graduate Men and Women in Two Scientific Communities of Practice

In 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

Female Bodies: Gender Inequalities, Vulnerability, HIV and AIDS in Kenya

This paper emerged from a lack of literature on women\u27s vulnerability to HIV/AIDS in AIDS discourses. Women have been vulnerable to HIV/AIDS since the epidemic emerged but not much research has been done specifically on Kenyan women. The ways in which women are vulnerable to HIV infection were explored by examining social, economic, and cultural identities that affect women\u27s sexual relations using a feminist lens. In this research, it is postulated that HIV vulnerability has to be studied in the context of patriarchy and cultural constraints.To address women\u27s vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, secondary analysis of data from the 2003 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey was utilized. Hence, demographic variables of age, education, religion, ethnicity, region of residence, marital status, and employment were the independent variables that were used to discern the factors associated with HIV vulnerability among women. A dependent variable, HIV vulnerability which I constructed from the 2003 Health and Demographic Survey was conceived of as a larger concept comprised of powerlessness in basic decision-making processes within the household, AIDS-related knowledge on transmission and prevention, cultural practices which encompassed polygamy, wife inheritance, and sexual behavior, and perceived risk of contracting the HIV/AIDS disease. In this study, the data strongly suggested that women in Kenya are more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS when they are younger, have low levels of education, are from different ethnicities and from certain regions, are unmarried, and not employed. The findings supported the literature that women\u27s vulnerability is strongly influenced and tied by broader forces present in the society. Women\u27s vulnerability to HIV/AIDS is real and needs to be tackled for any progress to occur in the fight against AIDS. HIV/AIDS is a very expensive disease that totally drains economies of households, communities, and countries. Until HIV vulnerability is acknowledged and fought, women will continue to succumb to the disease overwhelmingly and Kenya will eventually disintegrate as it will be full of sick people intensifying underdevelopment. Women\u27s vulnerability to HIV/AIDS is an urgent issue that needs dire attention for Kenya to prosper. A healthy population fosters development and stability. However HIV/AIDS produces instability, suffering, extreme poverty, and underdevelopment

Emotional Labor and the Helper Identity: Student Affairs Mothers of Children with Disabilities

The field of student affairs is considered a helping profession as it requires the provision of assistance and support to others. Likewise, having a child with a disability and/or illness places a burden of help and support on caregivers in the home setting. Through a narrative portraiture lens, this qualitative study examines how women who work in student affairs and who have at least one child with an identified disability, describe emotional labor and strategies they utilize to navigate the aforementioned across work and home environments. Findings suggest that the women interviewed assume a helper identity at both work and in the home, which requires them to use emotional labor frequently in both arenas. For many women, the organizational culture of the workplace coupled with demands associated with parenting a child with a disability drives their need to mask, which ultimately influences overall satisfaction with work performance and home life. We provide higher educational leaders with practical and sustainable recommendations to transform organizational culture, policies, and practices that have the potential to reduce emotional labor for this population of employees. Keywords: emotional labor, helper identity, higher education, student affairs, mothers of children with disabilities

The Role of Balance in Women\u27s Leadership Self-Identity

This study explores the role balance plays in the leadership self-identity of women college presidents. Their understanding of themselves as leaders reveals the complexity of leadership. Balance goes beyond juggling personal and professional lives and time commitments. It encompasses embracing weaknesses as well as strengths without losing competence or credibility, understanding that self-confidence and missteps are compatible, knowing that language can divide as well as unite, and recognizing that leadership includes loneliness and distance along with connection and praise. Using narrative inquiry, the research examines the following: how these women describe and define themselves as leaders, what personal attributes contribute to their leadership, their past and future career intentions, how their relationships influence their leadership self-identity, and the stories they tell about themselves and their experiences. A clear picture of leadership self-identity as a holistic concept emerges, integrating five critical components""balance, authenticity, leading through relationships, composing a life, and learning. The complexity and nuance of balance as a facet of leadership, and the resulting implications for identifying and selecting leaders, is the focus of this article

Authentic Leadership: As Exemplified by Kamla Persad Bissessar- Implications for Current and Potential Leaders

The focus of this paper will be on the six seeds of authentic leadership as espoused by Cashman (2003) and the relationship to Kamla Persad Bissessar\u27s leadership. Her strengths and weaknesses will be examined with a view to determining whether she displays qualities of an authentic leader. Speeches, e-mails, her facebook pages and the party\u27s manifesto for 2010 will be used as touchstones to evaluate her level of authenticity as a leader. The six seeds are: (a) the need for leaders to manifest what is in their hearts, (b) ability to embrace both the good and the bad and learn from them, (c) the leader serves the parts and the whole through value creation, (d) the leader masters the ego and moves beyond the ego, (e) the leader displays social intelligence through his or her ability to connect with others, and (f) the leader is able to find the potential in others. A discussion ensues based on the example of authentic leadership and how potential and current leaders could capitalize on becoming more people-centered leaders

Female Executives in the Sport Industry: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study

The 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

Understanding Leadership Deficiencies and Capital Challenges in Black Women-Owned Businesses

Black 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

Perceived Incompetent? The Annihilation of Women in Critical National Discourse in the Ghanaian Media

Media 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

The Leadership Discourse Amongst Female Police Leaders in Sweden

Female leaders within the police force in Sweden are in a minority. Although their numbers are increasing, little is known about their experiences. By using interviews and discourse analysis, this article aims to analyse and construct the leadership discourse articulated by female leaders within the Swedish Police. It is argued here, as in previous research, that female leaders experience a range of different aspects in their roles as leaders. The female leadership discourse within the police is constructed around five themes of discussion: (a) the leadership style of good leaders is generally a transformational one; (b) a transactional approach to leadership is visible in relation to crisis situations; (c) extensive experience as a police officer is of importance; (d) leaders need support in different ways, and (e) experiences of being a "˜token\u27 female in a male-dominated organisation is common. Above all, this article challenges the notion that a "˜feminine leadership style\u27 exists. It is also argued that an intersectional perspective on police leadership is preferable, and that co-workers have an impact on leadership processes