Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)

School

Psychology

Advisor

Linda Talley

Abstract

African American women are underrepresented in the engineering workforce. Limited research exists focusing on the experiences of African American women engineers. This qualitative study aimed to understand the perceived lived experiences of African American women engineers concerning employee engagement, organizational support, and organizational commitment. Relational cultural theory and feminist theory comprised the theoretical framework used to guide this descriptive phenomenological study. Data were collected using semi structured interviews with 11 African American women engineers. An inductive thematic data analysis produced 15 themes to answer the study’s three research questions. The themes that addressed the first research question, on engagement, included (a) professional engineering group opportunities, (b) connections to colleagues, (c) teamwork, (d) doubting feedback and proving self, and (e) discrimination. The themes that addressed organizational support and the second research question included (f) empowerment and voice being heard, (g) public recognition and rewards, (h) mentoring and training, (i) software and request systems, (j) supervisor accessibility and support, and (k) diversity and inclusion initiatives. Last, the themes that addressed the final research question regarding organizational commitment included (l) commitment level, (m) organizational culture, (n) connecting to people, and (o) lack of diversity. The research findings may impact positive social change by helping organizational leaders understand the experiences of African American women engineers and develop ways to improve workforce diversity by identifying and implementing processes to improve the organizational culture and employee well-being.

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