Date of Conferral

7-17-2026

Date of Award

July 2026

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Management

Advisor

Elizabeth Thompson

Abstract

Women who work in leadership positions in the construction industry in Indonesia face gender related challenges. Grounded in Acker’s theory of gendered organizations, this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study examined how women leaders experience and interpret gender-related workplace challenges. I collected data through semistructured interviews with nine women leaders in the Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Area and analyzed the data using the modified van Kaam method. Manual coding produced seven emergent themes. Key findings showed that gender inequality is embedded in organizational culture, policies, and everyday practices rather than occurring as isolated incidents. Women leaders reported heightened scrutiny, the need to continually demonstrate competence, and structural expectations intersecting with socioreligious norms. Gendered organizational processes reproduce barriers through routine workplace interactions and cultural symbols. Women leaders navigate these barriers using strategies such as continuous learning, relational leadership, and family and collegial support. This dissertation contributes to positive social change by providing empirical insights that inform organizational policies, including flexible work arrangements, transparent promotion processes, and leadership development programs tailored to women’s experiences, thereby promoting gender equity, increasing women’s participation in construction, and supporting broader workforce inclusion.

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