Impediments to Women Accountants’ Career Progression in Malaysia

Abstract

The apparent conflict between family life and an accounting career appears to be negatively impacting the retention of women in public accounting (Stockard, 1990). Typically, accounting entails long hours, travel, and a stressful business environment. For many women, these negative factors are intensified by family obligations and the pressures of striving for acceptance in a traditionally male-dominated profession. This investigation set out to directly survey women in the accounting profession regarding their perceptions of their own career barriers in their organizations. In addition, the study was intended to identify possible reasons for women accountants to leave their organizations and ways to retain them. The study was intended to develop a survey questionnaire that would quantify and measure perceptions of the glass ceiling. Following the review of a wide body of literature about "glass ceiling" this study established a conceptual model which related the impediments to career progression. This conceptual model leads to the formulation of an empirical schema and the generation of testable hypotheses. The following measurable constructs or variables were established: (1) exclusionary environment; (2) family responsibility; (3) workplace benefit; (4) job flexibility; (5) corporate policies; (6) job stress; and (7) job demand. This study has practical implications for employers in considering the needs and problems of women accountants in the work force. Alleviating key problems should help employers acquire and retain women accountants for a longer time, thereby maximizing their hiring and training investment. More importantly, dealing with these issues would help intelligent and capable women to continue a career as a professional accountant.

Individual Factors, Work-Family Conflict And Organisational Structure Towards Malaysian Women Career Progress

“…However, no such relationships are observed for marital status, work-family conflict and organisational structure towards the women career progress (p>0.05). Therefore H1b, H2, and H3 are rejected, reveals that marital status, work-family conflict and organisational structure do not influence the https: //dx.doi.org/10.15405/epsbs.2018.07.02.12 Corresponding Author: Fatimah Hanim Abdul Rauf Selection and peer-review under Abidin et al (2008), and Abidin et al (2009), whereby they found that marital status affects women career advancement. Perhaps, recently, regardless of the marital status, women in Malaysia have the desire for career progress might be due to the current economic situation which requires for a better household income.…”

“…Next, Beauregard (2007) claimed that single women were found to have achieved greater career advancement because they have more time and energy to handle demanding jobs than married women with children. Abidin, Penafort, Jusoff, and Marzuki (2008) discovered that marital status and women career progress were the mismatched when they were unable to balance between their personal and professional lives. Women tend to get married or engaged at an older age as they think that family responsibilities are assigned to women, and believe that they are unable to balance with the family-career responsibilities if married earlier (Qasem & Abdullatif, 2014).…”

Auditor Demographic Factors and Dimensions of Auditors’ Skepticism in Jordan

“…In contrast, Lipman-Blumen (1992) conclude that women is better in terms of collaborative and mentoring behavior (Nath 2000). Abidin et al (2008) found that women have several reasons such as family obligations and pressures that may affect their professional behavior in the profession that is traditionally dominated by men. In addition, Chung et al (2004) investigated the effects of different mood states on the professional skepticism by conducting an experiment on 102 audit professionals.…”

Impediments to Working Women at the Universities of Peshawar-KPK

“…2414-2336 Hendricks, 1997). While exploring about the problems Abidin (2009) argued that among various factors traveling was not notified as a hurdle to the working women, but the factors commonly affecting were stress related to job activities, working for some extra hours and keeping a balance between family life and job.…”