EXPERIENCES of SAUDI WOMEN in HIGHER EDUCATION Submitted

DISSERTATION ROAD TO LEADERSHIP: EXPERIENCES OF SAUDI WOMEN IN HIGHER EDUCATION Submitted by Suzan Hassan AlDoubi School of Education In partial fulfillment of requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado Spring 2014 Doctoral Committee: Advisor: Sharon K. Anderson Nathalie Kees Linda Kuk Lumina Albert Copyright by Suzan AlDoubi 2014 All Rights Reserved ABSTRACT ROAD TO LEADERSHIP: EXPERIENCES OF SAUDI WOMEN IN HIGHER EDUCATION The purpose of this narrative study was to explore the stories of Saudi women leaders about their experiences in accessing leadership positions in higher education. In addition, this study sought to offer Saudi women leaders the opportunity to talk about their social roles and gender stereotypes they were expected to uphold in their efforts to access and perform their leadership positions in higher education. The two guiding research questions were: (1) what were the stories of Saudi women leaders about their experiences in accessing leadership positions in higher education? and, (2) what social roles and gender stereotypes were these women leaders expected to uphold in the workplace? The sampling consisted of six Saudi women leaders in higher education. Thematic analysis was used as a mean of analyzing the data. The findings of this study indicated that Saudi women leaders accessed leadership positions in higher education after they attained their doctoral degree. For the social roles and gender stereotypes women leaders encountered in the workplace when interacting with men, the emerged themes were men’s role, women leader’s double bind, and women leaders’ feminine characteristics. The result of interacting with women revealed, women leaders being enemies of other women, supportive, or situational actions. Additional findings were discussed. Moreover, some implications and recommendations for further research were discussed. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Life is a journey from the first breath until the last one. During that journey, we come to meet, know, and learn from experiences and people around us. Therefore, I would like to share my appreciation to those who assisted me during the journey to finish my dissertation. First, I would like to thank Allah (God) for his mighty blessings that surround me. Without my faith in Him, I would have been nowhere or gone so far. Also, I am thankful to my Prophet, Mohammad (PBUH), for his teachings and character that inspired me to be my best self all the time. Second, I would like to thank my Saudi government, led by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Al-Saud, for giving me and thousands of Saudi men and women the opportunity to learn and to be empowered by knowledge from various cultures across the globe. I also want to thank the Saudi Cultural Mission in Washington, D.C. for the services they provided during my stay in the United States. In addition, I would like to thank the leadership and staff of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, for giving me the opportunity to pursue my doctorate studies. Third, my special thanks and appreciations are to my committee members for their time and academic support to get the best out of me. I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Sharon K. Anderson for her constant help. She provided professional and academic expertise, personal support, and inspiration during this journey. She kept me motivated, never held back, and no doubt got the best out of me. I am also thankful to Dr. Linda Kuk for her assistance, especially in allocating resources that enriched my dissertation. I want to thank Dr. Nathalie Kees for her knowledgeable part in enhancing my work. I would also like to thank Dr. Lumina Albert for adding to my work from a diverse perspective. iii Fourth, I would like to thank all of my professors at the School of Education for offering knowledge and encouragement for me to grow intellectually. I also would like to thank all staff members within the boundaries of Colorado State University for their administrative support. Additionally, I would like to thank my entire Saudi, American, and international friends and classmates for their constant help. Fifth, I would like to thank my participants, without their participation my work would not exist. Their stories were the core that facilitated the development of my research in order to reach the finishing product. Sixth, my thanks go to my parents, my father Hasan AlDoubi (may Allah rest his soul) who passed away during this journey, and my mother Samiyah Hasanain, for their prayers and love. I also thank my siblings, Fahad, Sawsan, Suhaylah, and Feras, for always believing in me as a role model. Finally, I express my deepest love and appreciation to my humble family. My thanks to my children: Manar, Mayar, Lamar, Abdullah, and Yousif for their love, patience, and support. My thanks go to my beloved husband, Zehar Filemban. Without his love, sacrifice, encouragement, and care, I would not have achieved one of my biggest dreams. He is my soul mate who completes me in all ways. I am so blessed to have him and my children around me. My life would not be a whole and happy one without them. Thank you all. iv DEDICATION I dedicate my work to my daughters, Manar, Mayar, and Lamar. May this dissertation guide and inspire them to reach their goals, the stars, and beyond in the future. I also dedicate this dissertation to every woman out there, especially in Saudi Arabia, to believe in herself and make her voice heard, regardless of the hardship and challenges she may face. Yet without these challenges, success will be meaningless. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………………………...….ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………………………………....iii DEDICATION…………………………………………………………………………………….v LIST OF TABLES………………………………………………………………………………...x LIST OF FIGURES………………………………………………………………………………xi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................1 Statement of the Problem ............................................................................................................2 Significance of the Study ............................................................................................................7 Research Questions .....................................................................................................................9 Definition of Terms .....................................................................................................................9 Delimitations and Assumptions ................................................................................................. 10 Limitations……………………………………………………………………………………….10 Researcher’s Perspective………………………………………………………………………...11 Summary……………………………………………………………………………………...….13 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE.............................................................................. 14 Overview of Leadership Literature ............................................................................................ 15 Power .................................................................................................................................... 21 Leadership Styles of Women and Men ................................................................................... 24 Followership .......................................................................................................................... 25 Barriers to Women in Accessing Leadership Positions .............................................................. 27 Glass Ceiling ......................................................................................................................... 28 Glass Cliff ............................................................................................................................. 33 Gender Stereotypes ................................................................................................................ 34 Lack of Professional Networks .............................................................................................. 38 Lack of Effective Mentors ..................................................................................................... 39 Family Responsibilities ......................................................................................................... 41 Institutional Policies and Culture ........................................................................................... 43 Male-Dominated Academic Arenas ....................................................................................... 46 vi Queen Bee Syndrome ............................................................................................................ 47 Conceptual Framework ............................................................................................................. 51 Overview of Saudi Arabia ......................................................................................................... 54 Culture .................................................................................................................................. 55 Primary and Higher Education ............................................................................................... 56 Work Opportunities ............................................................................................................... 57 Summary..................................................................................................................................

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