To Be Or Not to Be Career Women: Arab Women Dilemma

BAM 2013

This paper is from the BAM 2013 Conference Proceedings

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To Be or Not to Be Career Women: Arab Women Dilemma

Abstract

This research work focus on the difficulties, challenges and sacrifices Arab career women encounter during their career path. The central research question is framed as an empirical examination related to how Arab career women reacted to the situation and survived in spite of the difficulties. In addition, the researcher examine the impact of the external environment i.e., the economic and social pressure, and the influence of the internal factors such as self-concept, motivations and role perception on the behaviour and career path of Arab women. There are significant differences among Arab countries regarding social, cultural, religious and educational environment. The researcher narrowed her research study to a sample of four female nationals in Syria, Jordan and Dubai one of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Semi-structured interviews were used in collecting the data. The systematic investigation of the stories of those Arab career women lead to a theoretical generalization that educated Arab women face a lot of pressure trying to balance the modern world i.e., being career women, financially independent and a traditionally conservative social community . Educating Arab girls does not give them the rights or the potential to participate in their country’s struggle at all levels. The researcher believes that with the so called Arab Spring, (a rather conservative political and radical movement), Arab women's right for equal opportunity is difficult to be realised in the near future. The issue is complex and needs social and cultural reassessment of the norms and values that are prevailing in the Arab society.

Introduction

In the opening ceremony of a Conference about Democracy in the Middle East, held at Phoenicia hotel, Beirut, Lebanon, on January 15 th , 2012, Ban Ki-moon the UN

Secretary General said: “No change can be achieved without empowering women (referring to Arab women). No democracy without women being given their rights”.

This study focus on the difficulties, challenges and sacrifices Arab career women encounter during their career path. In addition, the researcher examine the impact of the external environment i.e., the economic and social pressure, and the influence of the internal factors such as self-concept, motivations and role perception on the behavior and career path of Arab women.

Literature Review Women and the Social Norms Laurel Thatcher Ulrich in a book entitled Well Behaved women Seldom Make History (2007) talking about Western women said that if women want to make a difference in the world, they should not worry too much about what people think and should dare to challenge both social norms and the law. She adds, women in the past were taught from early childhood lessons in good behaviour: "Considerate meant deferential. Respectful was obedient. Polite was silent" (Thatcher Ulrich, 2007, p.11). In addition, Girls were told that no one likes know-it-all women. That is why some women in order to be considered well behaved and ladylike acted as if they knew nothing at all. They were quiet, subservient, polite, indoors, cooking, cleaning type of girl who would never risk shame by voicing their own opinion (Ulrich, 2007). In addition, career women face the danger of appearing either too feminine or too masculine. If women appear too feminine they face the risk of a loss in credibility and considered as sexual objects instead of professionals (Omair, 2009). Similarly, successful career women are often described as anxious, unfeminine, and selfish. If they display masculine characteristics such as competitiveness, career orientation, self-confidence, aggression and forcefulness, they are classified as unfeminine. They are often described as anxious, unfeminine, and selfish. If they display masculine characteristics such as competitiveness, career orientation, self-confidence, aggression and forcefulness, they are classified as unfeminine (Winter, Neal & Warner, 2001). Women in leadership positions are disruptive. Strong women are difficult and dangerous because they trouble dominant

masculinities and modes of management by being different (Ghattas, 2009). However, according to Ulrich, (2007) being different is good not bad.

The Basic Role of Arab Women There are significant differences among Arab countries regarding social, cultural, religious and educational environment. Given the traditions and patriarchal culture in the Arab world, Gender differences and even discrimination are apparent due to the existing social norms that stereotype women as emotional and men as dominant (Yaseen, 2010). These social norms affect the type of work Arab women choose and their level of engagement at work. The most important role of an Arab woman is her commitment to her house and children, whereas the role of an Arab man is to be the breadwinner for the family. In general, women are considered as delicate, fragile, and easy to influence (Efrati, 2012). Thus, educated Arab women face a lot of pressure trying to balance the modern world and a traditionally conservative social background (Mostafa, 2006; Omair, 2009). Similarly, women in Arab culture are trained to be docile, submissive, discreet, modest and quietly spoken and are subject to dominance by male members of their family. From early childhood Arab women are taught obedience (Jones & George,2011). Happy Hyder in a chapter of a book entitled Arab, and Arab American Feminisms (2011) emphasized that by educating girls (referring to Arab girls), in other words by empowering women through education we can give them the potential to participate in their country’s struggle at all levels even in reforming their governments. Arab women want to take more responsibilities in the political, occupational, educational and social spheres, men are not willing to let them achieve that. Arab women in a male dominating culture have a greater need for credibility, acceptance and legitimacy (Omair, 2009; Efrati, 2012). Similarly, Nadine Naber in another chapter of the same book explains that the concept of good Arab girls "is a product of a superior Arab culture in comparison to American girls and American culture. Idealized concepts of femininity are connected to idealized notions of family… ."(Naber, 2011, p. 83). Nadine quotes one interlocutor talking about the pressure to marry an Arab woman (Naber, 2011, p. 83).

My mother used to say: “An Arab girl will stand by her family. She will cook and clean, and have no career. She will have kids, raise kids, and take care of her kids, night and day. She will do anything for her husband.”

In addition, the main burden of family responsibilities including child care and domestic work is the main burden of the female partner. Thus, women who work outside the home undertake a “double shift”, or if they have children, even a “triple shift” (Homsi, 2003; Ghattas,2009). Similarly, Efrati, (2012) in a book entitled Women in Iraq (an Arab country), explains that Iraqi women among the low income group had lost their freedom as human beings. They are means of production and reproduction and considered as a property of the male member of the family, i.e., the father, the brother or the husband. It is difficult for Arab women to reach top management and/or middle management positions. One of the arguments used against women occupying management positions is the fact that Arab women with their "aspiration to occupy high positions and hold parliamentary seats was lamentable because it would lead to a forbidden commingling between the sexes and the type of unrestrained liberty.... Do women believe that they have greater abilities than men that would allow them to fulfil two difficult tasks simultaneously- the task they are interested in (the management position), and the natural task for which they were created (the role of a mother and a wife)? Do they intend to fulfil this new task at the cost of breaking up the family and society and spreading anarchy?" Efrati, (2012, p.96). Challenges Facing Women At every level of an organization there appears to be barriers to the advancement of women (Wirth, 2001). Such organizational barriers may operate not only against women, but also positively in favor of men. Some of these barriers include taking a career break and applying for a promotion. Arab women are not considered as the breadwinners of the family and thus are less concerned with a competitive career path focusing on financial rewards. That is why some women do not take themselves seriously and are satisfied with lower level positions (Ghattas, 2009). However, with the economic recession things have changed.

Often women face workplace discrimination and great family demands which affect their career development (Homsi, 2003). A study made by ESCWA about employment and gender differences in Arab countries noted that a career break for women is perceived as negative especially if the job is linked to high technology because of the dramatic changes in the areas (Homsi, 2003; Ghattas, 2009; Kelly, 2000). Women who have been successful in management jobs had minimized or avoided career breaks, thus following a career pattern similar to that expected of men.

In addition, women face what some call the, glass ceiling effect, an invisible barrier or ceiling that prevents women from rising above a certain level of organizational responsibility despite all the progress in the area of equal rights and anti-discrimination acts (Gerardo Liertz, 2012).

Methodology

Ontological assumptions concern the very nature or essence of the social phenomena being investigated, “the reality or the sense of being” (Morrison, 2002, p. 11). The reality studied in this research work focus on the challenges, sacrifices and rewards that Arab career women encounter. The central research questions were framed as an empirical examination related to how Arab career women reacted to the situation and survived in spite of the difficulties. In addition, the researcher analyzed the effect of the external factors such as the economic and social pressure and internal factors such as self- concept, motivation and role perception on the behavior of Arab women.

Since qualitative data can provide rich insight into human behavior, using qualitative research techniques seemed appropriate for this research work. The researcher use qualitative paradigms, seeing the situation of Arab career women through the eyes of the participants.

Finding the right people to interview is critical to a descriptive, qualitative study and it is ethically problematic (Busher, 2002). It was not practical to obtain data from all Arab career women. That is why the researcher decided to collect information from a

smaller group representative of the total population. This heterogeneous group of people was selected on purpose: different nationality, age groups, and backgrounds were chosen in order to get diversified views about the subject.

Triangulation is a device for improving the validity of the data collected (Bush, 2002). The researcher utilized methodological triangulation (using interviewing) and theoretical triangulation (comparing the results of the study with what theorists and historians have written about the topic) in order to check and enhance the validity and the reliability of the data collected.

To be ethical, a research project needs to be designed to create trustworthy (validity) outcomes if it is to be believed to be pursuing the truth (Busher, 2002). A test of trustworthiness was prepared (Figure 1). In addition, the researcher is an Arab career woman. This situation can enhance the trustworthiness of the data given since some participants might be more willing to talk to her, perhaps because they perceived her as one of them.

It is important not to identify the name and the identity of the individuals being interviewed (Bassey, 2002).Thus, the researcher tried to protect the anonymity and confidentiality of the participants. She explained to the respondents that their answers were very confidential and that in order to preserve the anonymity of the interviewees, she used a coding system (Figure 2). This paper is only a part of a research project that involved the distillation product of the researcher’s thinking over more than four years. The researcher narrowed her research study to a sample of female nationals in Syria, Jordan and Dubai one of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which she visited more than three times during the period studied. Four women in each country were interviewed by the researcher.

Wragg (2002) notes that the style used in interviewing should be a balance between friendliness and objectivity. The researcher used semi-structured interviews. In order to cover all the main areas she was seeking information about, she tried to obtain the information as naturally as possible, going with the flow of the conversation and the context to make the respondent as relaxed and comfortable as possible (Radnor, 2002).

The interview transcripts, along with the documents collected from various papers, articles and newspapers were carefully read and examined. From the emerging data similarities and differences were observed and displayed in the form of contact summary.

Findings and Analysis As mentioned in the literature review, Arab women from early childhood are taught obedience and are trained to be docile, submissive, and discreet. They are subject to dominance by male members of their family. This style of upbringing can affect their career path. Talking about the issue, one of the interviewee, a female bank branch manager said: The daughter of a colleague is very shy. She holds an MBA and a CPA. She works as an Auditor in our bank...She does not ask for her rights.... When someone talks to her, especially if he is a man, she turns red and starts tattering. When I tried to explain to her that she should express her opinion and not be afraid. She said "At home I am not allowed to discuss the orders of my parent and brother. I obey blindly.....J.F1. On the other hand, some women react and overcompensate by imitating men members in their family. That is why successful Arab women are considered sometimes as anxious, unfeminine, and selfish. When asked about the issue, a very successful female architect said: When my boss (a local female manager from Dubai) calls me on the phone “I STAND UP BY RESPECT” without realizing that she is not in the room.D.F2 Another interviewee added: Should Arab women claim to be ignorant in order to be accepted? When I say something no one listens... When a man express the same point of view… the idea is great....J.F4 In addition, a woman from the board of director of a very successful family business told, the researcher, her story: I went to study in the United States of America and got a PhD degree in Business…. After the death of my father, I came back home to work in our family business. I asked for a big office and a high salary....My brother said: "But your office is

bigger than mine and the salary you asked for is higher than mine"....I answered him by saying" I have a PhD you do not"...... At the end of the month I sent him all my bills for him to pay i.e., electricity, maids salary, food etc....He was mad at me...I told him "You have inherited twice as much as myself and because I am single without a husband YOU are responsible of me according to the Islamic law.....S.F2

Another comment was made by a woman who holds the position of a Minister in a Key ministry: When I was discussing the budget of my ministry with my colleagues in the government, I could see a sarcastic smile and a funny expression on their faces. It was as if they were saying: “How can she know what she is talking about……Look at that arrogant female”.S.F.1 When the researcher asked her about her reaction to the situation, she said: I was in control, I used my “POKER FACE" expression and continued my discussion…….I just did not care… I did not go to college in order to be intimidated by “STONE AGE” men……S.F.1 Women in general and Arab women in particular are not supposed to hold top government positions. But this Woman did not care about being considered well behaved and ladylike claiming she knew nothing as recommended by Ulrich, (2007). Successful Arab career women in a male-dominated environments adjusted to the situation by becoming aggressive using a communication style that suits the “men’s world”. The researcher met a forty two years old business woman and her husband at a dinner party. The woman is now the Vice President of marketing of an international company with a branch in Dubai. She spends most of her time traveling ……During the party, her husband complained all the time about his wife’s absence from home and that he has to participate in the parents’ involvement at school and in the end of year shows…… I asked her to comment on what her husband was saying, she said: Let him talk…I work in order to provide a high standard of living to my children. I have ambition and a well-defined goal which is to become a very important well-known business woman…….

Tell me, if the men was the vice president and traveling all the time, and his wife was taking care of the family, it would be the poor men working very hard to support the family and the wife spending the money on botox, massage, pedicure and manicure….J.F3

Arab career women are not considered as the breadwinners of the family and thus are expected not to be concerned with a competitive career path focusing on financial rewards. Because of the high cost of daily living some women had no choice except to get a job. Similar stories were told by two other interviewees:

I and my husband graduated from the same university and were young. We decided to be a dual career family. At the beginning things were perfect and we were very happy. When I got promoted to an upper-level managerial position, my husband could not accept the fact that I had a higher position and that I was earning more than him. He resigned from his job and went to work in Africa in order to get a higher pay....Fights started…We are now divorced…D.F1

I have two girls and a boy. I sent my girls to study at the American university of Beirut. They are working and are very successful in their career....Although they are pretty girls...... They are unmarried....Qualified men in our community are afraid of an assertive and successful wife.....And my girls will not accept to marry someone who does not meet their standard...... S.F4

The economic need and social pressure to offer a high standard of living to their family have given women the power to challenge the norms and values of their society as recommended by Ulrich (2007). The cost is high i.e., a nagging husband (J.F3 story) or a divorce (D.F1 story) or single women (S.F4). Arab women who pursue a successful career path face a lot of pressure trying to balance the modern world and a traditional conservative social background as mentioned by Mostafa, (2006) and Omair, (2009). Talking about the difficulties Arab career women face, one interviewee said:

In Jordan, women are responsible of the domestic work and children caring….. The majority of women in our community who reached top management positions were either not married or divorced. J.F2 When asked about gender discrimination a female branch manager said:

From early childhood I was taught to behave feminine. I had to wear colourful dress, white shoes and have my hair arranged by a beauty parlour. When I used to play with my friends the toys were dolls, symbol of my future role as a mother, or a mini kitchen wear, symbol of my being a house wife. Once I cried for hours because I wanted a gun to play with like my brother but I was grounded for that. That is why I feel guilty if dinner is not ready on time or the house is not clean although we have a sleeping maid at home...S.F.3

In addition, women face more barriers to reach top managerial positions than men do. Often the blame is put on women who do not take themselves seriously and are satisfied with lower level positions. A successful career woman, mother of an educated young woman complained: My daughter is not ambitious… She wants to work in order to keep herself busy….She does not accept a job offer for a managerial position, although she has an MBA degree from a prominent university, claiming that It will take a lot of her energy and time……She says “I want to spent my time with my children....I want a job which can provide for my personal expenses only...” I, as a mother, feel that she is wasting her time…..D.F4.

Conclusion Although Arab women are not considered the breadwinners of their family and should not be concerned with a competitive career path focusing on financial rewards (Homsi, 2003; Ghattas, 2009), Arab women needed to work and compete with men because of the economic recession and the social pressure for a high standard of living. Educated Arab women face a lot of pressure trying to balance the modern world being career women financially independent, and a traditionally conservative social

community . Educating Arab girls, in other words by empowering women through education does not give them the potential to participate in their country’s struggle at all levels as recommended by Hyder, (2011). The researcher believes that with the so called Arab Spring movement, a conservative political and radical movement, Arab Women’s Rights for equal opportunity are rather difficult to be realized in the near future. Even if Arab women want to take more responsibilities in the political, occupational and educational spheres, men will not let them achieve that. The challenge is how to change this stereotype and the preconceived opinion about women. Changes should start at home and should be supported by the educational and the legal systems which seem difficult. The researcher tried in a story telling style to show the problems and the challenges facing women in general and Arab women in particular to “BE” successful career women and reach top managerial positions. The issue is complex and needs social and cultural reassessment of the norms and values that are prevailing in the Arab society. She has one advice: “Women be yourself, a brain (educated), a heart (a mother) and a free soul (free thinker)." This paper is only a part of a study about career Arab women. More work on the subject is needed researching the attitude of other Arab women in other Arab countries.

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Figure1: Test of Trustworthiness, Adapted from Bassey (2002, P.120)

1-Has there been prolonged engagement with the data source? --The researcher is interested in the topic because she is an Arab career woman and has a long experience in this field.

2-Has there been persistent observation of emerging issues? --Yes. The researcher has been working on this research work for four years. She has visited all the countries mentioned and interviewed female managers working there.

3-Has there been sufficient triangulation of data leading to analytical statements? ---Yes. The researcher has undertaken similar study about Women Leadership in Lebanon which is an Arab country (Ghattas, 2009) and will refer to it when analyzing the data collected.

4-Has a critical friend tried to challenge your findings thoroughly? --- The subject is always discussed in private and in public. In addition, the researcher attends regularly conferences dealing with the subject. She will participate on March 1 & 2, 2013, The New Arab Woman Forum (NAWF) “Unlocking the Potential of Arab Women Entrepreneurs" which will be held in Mövenpick Hotel – Beirut, Lebanon.

5-Is the account of the research sufficiently detailed to give the reader confidence? ---Reporting the results of four years research work is quite enough.

6-Does the case record provide an adequate trail? ----The researcher has kept the interview transcripts.

Figure 2: Interview Transcript Code

S.F1-4 Female Manager in Syria no.1, 2, 3, and 4.

J.F1-4 Female Manager in Jordan no. 1,2,3, and 4

D.F1-4 Female Manager in Dubai no. 1,2,3, and 4