У статті розглянуто теоретичні засади перешкод на кар’єрному шляху жінок у сфері бізнесу,
гендерної сегрегації ринку праці. Вивчено міжнародний досвід у подоланні явища «скляної стелі».
Емпірична частина статті містить аналіз та концептуалізацію чинників подолання «скляної
стелі» жінками в бізнесі в Україні на основі результатів напівструктурованих фокусованих
інтерв’ю.
The article discusses the theoretical foundations of the obstacles to career of women in business and the
gender segregation in the labor market. The author studies International experience in overcoming the
phenomenon of the “glass ceiling”. The empirical part of the article contains analysis and conceptualization
of factors to overcome the “glass ceiling” of women in business in Ukraine on the basis of semi-structured
focused interviews.
International experience demonstrates that primary factors to overcome the “glass ceiling” in business
are the implemention of gender quotas and formation of a family-friendly corporate environment, i.e. the
inclusive atmosphere at work. In addition, the role of the individual factors is important, which includes a
more equal distribution of domestic duties between women and men in families, high motivation, and
professional ethics that determines women’s success in dealing with obstacles in their career path and
reaching higher job positions.
Interviews with women in business in Ukraine provided a possibility to identify groups of factors from
the micro- to macro-level to help women to overcome the “glass ceiling” in the business. The factors on the
state level include social change of cultural patterns that would reflect the idea and practice of gender
equality; economic factors such as the impact on the motivation of companies to organize the practice of
family policy through the tax system; legislative regulation of the flexible schedule and type of labour, and
educational measures that would ensure the awareness for women and men of the issues of the “glass
ceiling” and discrimination.
The state factors should be reinforced by such corporate practice as an ensuring flexible schedules for
women with young children and organizing educational workshops. However, these factors start at
enterprises of family-oriented care, such as kindergartens for children of female and male employees.
The results of interviews showed that, in the opinion of women in business, overcoming the “glass
ceiling” to the greatest extent depends on individual factors. Among them are the presence in women of
certain personality traits (such as self-confidence, dedication), engaging the support of her husband / partner,
and development of both professional knowledge and personal fulfilment.
