African American Women Leaders, Intersectionality, and Organizations Kena Renee Mayberry Walden University
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Walden University ScholarWorks Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection 2018 African American Women Leaders, Intersectionality, and Organizations Kena Renee Mayberry Walden University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations Part of the Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons, and the Psychology Commons This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection at ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Walden University College of Social and Behavioral Sciences This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by Kena Renee Mayberry has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Frederica Hendricks-Noble, Committee Chairperson, Psychology Faculty Dr. Grant Rich, Committee Member, Psychology Faculty Dr. James Herndon, University Reviewer, Psychology Faculty Chief Academic Officer Eric Riedel, Ph.D. Walden University 2018 Abstract African American Women Leaders, Intersectionality, and Organizations by Kena Renee Mayberry MS, University of Phoenix, 2009 BS, George Mason University, 2003 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Industrial/Organizational Psychology Walden University May 2018 Abstract Research suggested that African American women (AAW) leaders are overlooked as candidates for senior level positions in organizations. The problem that prompted this study was the lack of empirical research surrounding the intersectionality of race and gender and how this dual identity informed their leadership development and excluded AAW from the leadership promotion group identified by organizations. The research questions addressed how AAW described their career trajectory, strategies that were used to transform institutional barriers into leadership opportunities, how AAW leaders perceived their dual identity as contributing to their unique organizational experiences, and how AAW leaders perceived their role as mentors. This study was grounded in the critical race theory (CRT) as it pertains to the concept of the intersectionality of race and gender. Semistructured interviews with a purposive sample of 12 participants were used to obtain data along with thematic coding to analyze the data. Key findings included the women expressing both subtle and blatant racial and gender discrimination in the workplace. The participants identified self-advocacy as crucial to their success along with having strong mentors. One of the main conclusions was that the corporate world is a long-standing, white, male network and continues to be an obstacle for women in today’s workplace. Recommendations for future research include studying bi-racial women and women who are in lower managerial roles to identify whether they experience similar obstacles as women in senior leadership roles. Social change implications include organizational modifications across multiple industry types that would create more positive perceptions, descriptions, and trust in the leadership abilities of AAW. African American Women Leaders, Intersectionality, and Organizations by Kena Renee Mayberry MS, University of Phoenix, 2009 BS, George Mason University, 2003 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Industrial/Organizational Psychology Walden University May 2018 Dedication So much hard work, dedication, and diligence went into this milestone of a project. I would like to dedicate this body of work to my grandmother, the late Grace H. Mayberry and to my father, Franklin D. Mayberry. The two of you have been my pillars of strength and your everlasting love, encouragement, and motivation have kept my torch burning strong and bright. So much of who I am, what I have become, and what I will accomplish in the future are because of the two of you and your belief in me. There are no words to express my deepest gratitude and love for the two of you. Thank you for lifting me up in prayer and keeping me grounded. For this, I am forever grateful. All of my love to the two of you. In addition, this is dedicated to all of the African American women leaders who have persevered, strategized, and ultimately made their way to the top! Thank you for paving the way for me and all the African American women who aspire for greatness and strive to be senior leaders within their organizations. Thank you for your mentorship, encouragement, for being change-agents, and for your undying “can do” attitude. You are my inspiration and I am grateful for your journey and the path you have laid before me. Thank you. Acknowledgments First and foremost, I would like to thank God for being the center of my life and for allowing me to realize His power and His divine plan for me. Without my faith in God, none of this would have been possible. Thank you, Lord, for the many blessings that you have bestowed upon me during this process and for instilling strength and perseverance within me. I followed the path and all for Your glory. I wish to thank the wonderful faculty of Walden University, especially Dr. Frederica Hendricks-Noble and Dr. Grant Rich for their commitment to my research and ultimately my success. I am so grateful for the challenges that Dr. Hendricks-Noble and Dr. Rich helped me overcome and the dedication that both of them showed to me. I am so thankful for your partnership and the learning that I received while working with you. Thank you both! I would also like to thank my University Research Reviewer, Dr. James Herndon, for his insight and guidance as well as for the excellent and informative seminars that he facilitated during my residencies. I would like to thank Richelle Coleman, Suzette Pryor, Armaria Fleming and Denise Harris for being my biggest cheerleaders and for their constant encouragement through the tough times and for being a motivational force when I needed it most. To my family and friends, thank you for your support over the last several years along with your prayers and complete understanding of the importance of this journey to me. God knows that I would have been lost without your love and support throughout this endeavor. Thank you. Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study ....................................................................................1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................1 Background of the Study ...............................................................................................4 Problem Statement .........................................................................................................7 Purpose of the Study ....................................................................................................12 Research Questions ......................................................................................................13 Nature of the Study ......................................................................................................13 Definition of Key Terms ..............................................................................................14 Assumptions .................................................................................................................15 Scope and Delimitations ..............................................................................................16 Limitations ...................................................................................................................16 Significance of the Study .............................................................................................17 Implications for Social Change ....................................................................................18 Summary ......................................................................................................................19 Chapter 2: Literature Review .............................................................................................22 Introduction ..................................................................................................................22 Library Search Strategy ...............................................................................................23 Conceptual Framework ................................................................................................24 Organizational Research on African American Leadership: Issues of Race and Context .............................................................................................................28 Race, Context, and Organizational Leadership..................................................... 28 i Intersectionality of Race and Gender for African American Women Leaders Intersectionality within Organizations .............................................................33 The Intersectional Identity of African American Women Leaders ...................... 37 The Inclusion of Race and Gender in the Leadership Literature .......................... 40 Barriers, Opportunities, Coping Strategies, and Mentorship ................................ 42 Summary and Conclusions