THE CAREER EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN IN STEM FIELDS IN LEBANON A Dissertation by YASMEEN MAKAREM Submitted to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Chair of Committee, Jia Wang Committee Members, Khalil Dirani Sarah Gatson Barry Lawrence Head of Department, Mario Torres May 2019 Major Subject: Educational Human Resource Development Copyright 2019 Yasmeen Makarem i ABSTRACT This basic qualitative study explored the career experiences of women working in STEM fields in Lebanon. Guided by career construction theory (Savickas, 2002), I conducted individual, in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 21 women in Lebanon to address the study’s three research questions: “what leads women to enter STEM fields in Lebanon?”, “what are the career experiences of women professionals in STEM fields in Lebanon?”, and “what impacts women’s experiences in STEM careers in Lebanon?”. The study participant’s, each having at least eight years of experience in their field, reflected on how they constructed their STEM careers in Lebanon. Five categories were identified from the data analysis: (a) vocational choice; (b) career accomplishments; (c) career challenges; (d) coping strategies; and (e) career reflection. Findings from this study highlight the internal characteristics that a woman should embody to pursue a career in STEM as well as the constant career reflection that she would be engaging in throughout her career. Specifically, the findings suggest that the organizational practices such as performance appraisals, availability of mentors, and access to network and financial capital are gendered and reflect the institutional context of Lebanon (i.e., the legal system, capital market, education system, culture, and relational influences), which act as constraints to women’s career in STEM fields. The organizational practices evolve as a consequence of the never-ending interplay between changes in the institutional context within which organizations are embedded and the larger macro environment. This interplay further perpetuates a gendered and masculine ii ideal with respect to STEM employees. Against this backdrop, this study enhances our understanding of the career experiences of women in STEM in Lebanon by showcasing the strategies that the women adopt to cope with the outcomes of the previously discussed interplays between the institutional factors and the organizational practices. The various coping strategies that the women use either reinforce, reproduce or challenge the gendered and masculine ideal in STEM. Based on the findings from this study, I propose a new conceptual framework for career construction theory, highlighting the role of relationships, context and time. I conclude the study by discussing implications for practice both at the national and organizational levels and suggesting areas for future research. iii DEDICATION To my uncle Hadi, who chose to live differently. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I couldn’t have persisted in this endeavor without the intellectual and moral support of many people: First, my deepest gratitude goes to my advisor, Dr. Jia Wang, who constantly challenged my thinking through her questions and experiences, and encouraged me at every step of the writing process. I also express my appreciation to my committee members, Dr. Khalil Dirani, Dr. Sarah Gatson, and Dr. Barry Lawrence for their professional guidance and constructive feedback. Second, I’m immensely grateful for having the chance to work with and be informally mentored by Dr. Fida Afiouni, from the American University of Beirut. Dr. Afiouni has been part of my academic journey since 2013 and my doctoral experience has greatly benefited from her intellect, time and guidance. Third, I am grateful for the 21 women who took part in this study: Thank you for allowing me to share your career experiences in STEM. I hope you find I did your stories justice. Most of all, I am grateful to my parents, Ghazi and Wassilia, and to my sisters, Shireen, Dima, and Rand, for creating a home environment that regards education to be one of the noblest pursuits in one’s life. I am grateful for the support that they have offered me and for their countless messages, emails, and calls of encouragement and most importantly their presence in my life. In more ways than one, they are my backbone and I am indebted to all their sacrifices and love. v In closing, I am forever grateful to my partner, Ramy El Masri, who moved half way across the country to support and be present throughout my doctoral journey. I could not have continued to work through such a demanding degree without the love and laughter of my home life, and Ramy’s constant moral, emotional and practical support. vi CONTRIBUTORS AND FUNDING SOURCES Contributors This work was supervised by a dissertation committee consisting of Dr. Jia Wang (chair of committee) and Drs. Khalil Dirani, Sarah Gatson and Barry Lawrence. Funding Sources My doctoral study was supported by a four-year graduate assistantship from Texas A&M University. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................. ii DEDICATION ............................................................................................................. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................... v CONTRIBUTORS AND FUNDING SOURCES ......................................................... vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................ viii LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................... x LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................ xi CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 1 Background of the Study ............................................................................................ 1 Purpose and Research Questions ................................................................................ 4 Theoretical Framework .............................................................................................. 4 Overview of Research Design .................................................................................... 6 Significance of the Study ........................................................................................... 6 Boundary of the Study ............................................................................................... 9 Definition of Terms .................................................................................................... 9 Summary ................................................................................................................. 10 CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW ...................................................................... 11 Context of the Study ................................................................................................ 12 Theoretical Foundation: Career Development Theories ............................................ 14 Changing Nature of Career ....................................................................................... 14 Empirical Research on Women’s Careers in STEM Fields ....................................... 24 Gaps in the Empirical Literature ............................................................................... 38 Summary ................................................................................................................. 39 CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY ............................................................................... 78 Qualitative Research ................................................................................................ 78 Rationale for Using Qualitative Research ................................................................. 81 viii Qualitative Methodologies ....................................................................................... 83 Data Report .............................................................................................................. 95 Trustworthiness ........................................................................................................ 96 The Researcher’s Role ............................................................................................. 98 Summary ................................................................................................................. 99 Chapter IV FINDINGS .............................................................................................. 101 Overview ............................................................................................................... 101 Study Participants .................................................................................................. 101 Categories .............................................................................................................. 105 CHAPTER V DISCUSSION, IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS ................... 214 Discussion of Findings ........................................................................................... 214 Conceptual Model .................................................................................................. 239 Implications