Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Public Policy and Administration
Advisor
Ross Alexander
Abstract
AbstractAfrican American women are underrepresented in executive/senior-level positions in public and nonprofit organizations. The purpose of the study was to identify how workplace culture characteristics inform the career development of African American women. The conceptual framework incorporated Hegel’s standpoint theory and Collins’ Black feminist thought, emphasizing the importance of perspective differences stemming from social or professional experiences. The research questions addressed the workplace culture characteristics that assist or hinder African American women’s career development in northern California. I transcribed, coded, and analyzed data gathered from 15 audio-recorded, semistructured interviews. Results indicated that specific characteristics of workplace cultures were identified as factors of success as defined. Admitting that they faced unusually stringent standards, the women in the study conveyed that being their authentic self, adding value, adaptability, and having supporters were the primary characteristics of the workplace culture that assisted them in their careers. This study’s results could help fill a gap in understanding by focusing on the experiences of African American women and the factors that challenge them when seeking equal opportunities in the workplace with regard to obtaining senior-level positions.
Recommended Citation
Alexander, Coretta Loraine, "Workplace Characteristics That Affect the Career Development of African American Women" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 13152.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/13152
