The Effect of Children and Work-family Conflict on the Career Advancement of Women Academics: A Study on Private Universities of Bangladesh

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims at investigating how the children and the work-family conflict affects the career progression of female faculties at private university in Bangladesh. Methodology: Using convenience sampling technique, 201 female faculties of 15 private universities in Dhaka city of Bangladesh have been surveyed. Structural equation modeling technique has been used to analyze the hypothesis of the study. Findings: This study has found that the children have significant effect on the career stagnancy of female academics in teaching at private universities, whereas work-family conflict has not found to be significantly influential on the career stagnancy of the respondents. Limitations: Our sample consisted of 201 female faculties serving in 15 private universities located at Dhaka in Bangladesh may limit the generalizability of the results. The female faculty members of the private universities located outside Dhaka did not participate in this study. Practical Implication: In Bangladesh, a little research work has been done on addressing the pitfalls for which private universities’ female faculties cannot progress in their career. This research will contribute to existing literature in describing two major challenges of women academics’ career progression, i.e., children and work-family conflict. In future, researchers may additionally use other challenges that relate with career advancement of women academics. Originality: This paper will help the stakeholders realize the fact that women are facing difficulties in their career progression due to children, i.e., childrearing mandate. It will also assist to identify pragmatic interventions to minimize the consequences derived from childrearing on female academics’ career advancement.