WOMEN IN MANAGEMENT POSITIONS CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to find out about women in management positions, challenges and prospects. In the process of this research work, the researcher formulated three research questions, and sample sizes of 50 respondents all randomly selected were used. Questionnaires were used to get the opinion of respondents on the research questions posed by the researcher. In testing the opinion of the respondents, the researcher discovered that majority of the respondents believed that women have been making effort towards getting to top management positions despite all the constraints. Both secondary and primary data were used in the process of this work. Chi-square method of analysis was employed. in the process of data analysis for the test of hypotheses. Based on the data analyzed, the researcher found out that there are numerous challenges, among which are lack of proper child care services by government and various organizations, the stress of combining home management, child bearing and care with work, gender discrimination, socio-cultural, religious barriers etc. These challenges faced by women hinder growth in their various career choices.  As a result of these findings, the researcher is of the opinion that there should be no discrimination against women during employment and that appointments should be based on merit and not on gender, that employers of labour should create deregulated atmosphere that would enable both men and women to attain management positions within the organizational framework through fair and healthy competition  and finally, that there should be public education for both men and women on the dangers of gender discrimination and its effect on organizations and society in general.