Second-generation gender bias in corporate Ghana: A case study of two banks

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Addo_Lydia_2020_BA_Thesis.pdf (755.68 KB)

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2020-05

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to understand women’s experiences with secondgeneration gender bias in the Ghanaian banking sector. Women’s rate of advancement in leadership roles is currently higher than their rate of advancement into executive management roles in the workplace. Second-generation gender biases or implicit biases are one of the poorly addressed factors explaining the low percentages of women’s advancement into executive level management roles. First-generation gender biases are the intentional and visible acts of discrimination against women, but implicit gender bias is more obscure and almost invisible. It occurs when a person consciously rejects gender stereotypes but still unconsciously makes evaluations based on those stereotypes. The aim of this study was achieved using a qualitative approach to compare and contrast women’s experiences in two banks in Accra, Ghana. A thematic analysis using Evetts’ (2000) three-dimensional framework consisting of cultural, structural and action dimensions, was used to analyze in-depth interviews with 12 female employees from the two banks. The results reveal the existence of implicit gender biases in the banks. However, the women did not perceive it as injurious to their career progression as they would have viewed explicit gender biases. This study concludes that if the effects of implicit gender biases on career women are undermined, it is likely to create an environment that tolerates the bias. A tolerant environment for implicit biases will eventually have a detrimental impact on their career progression.

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Undergraduate thesis submitted to the Department of Business Administration, Ashesi University, in partial fulfillment of Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, May 2020

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gender bias, women, banking, career progression, organizational culture

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https://air.ashesi.edu.gh/handle/20.500.11988/584

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