An investigation of the career progression experiences of women in mid and senior-level positions in Cape Town’s public relations industry

Abstract

In this research study, emphasis is placed on the career progression experiences of eight women in the Public Relations (PR) industry in Cape Town. The study identified the barriers causing career progression stagnation and its association with the glass ceiling effect, based on the experiences of the female PR practitioners in middle and senior-level positions working in the private, public, and non-profit sectors. The gender-organisation system (GOS) theory supported the research to determine whether structures and systems in the workplace which contribute to the work/life balance, influence career advancement for women. Social cognitive career theory (SCCT) aided the investigation of elements associated with the glass ceiling effect which were identified in the literature review as the gender wage gap and gender stereotyping. The qualitative study recorded the experiences of the participants and the data was analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis. The main and sub-themes identified included the glass ceiling perspective, gender influence, transformation, and technological advances. Key findings revealed that while some participants have not experienced ‘a glass ceiling’ prohibiting them from progressing in their career, other participants experienced personal encounters associated with the glass ceiling effect. Participants also noted that there were fewer positions for senior roles and that the main challenges prohibiting female PR practitioners from career progression were organisations’ budgets for training and development, transformation to enforce workforce diversity, the rapid growth of technological advancement and the “founders block”. Based on the findings of this study, future studies should investigate how to overcome the challenges identified that may enable PR practitioners to advance in their careers.