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Women, Leadership, and Organizational Culture in Higher Education: Lessons Learned from South Africa and Ghana

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The Changing Role of Women in Higher Education

Abstract

Globalization has played a significant role in redefining the role and identity of higher education institutions across the world and universities in developing are no exception. Education policies in many developing countries have historically favored and funded the development of basic education; however there has been a gradual shift in national policies towards investing in higher education sector. This chapter is based on a qualitative study that examines how the intersection of gender, socio-cultural factors, and organizational culture impact professional experiences of women academics selected public universities in Ghana and South Africa. Given the glaring absence of women in academic positions across many African universities, particularly at senior ranks, this study seeks to provide an understanding of challenges and opportunities that influence the upward mobility of women academics/academic leaders and the strategies these women have employed to persist in academic contexts that are not always supportive.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA

    Reitumetse Obakeng Mabokela

  2. Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA

    Yeukai A. Mlambo

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  1. Reitumetse Obakeng Mabokela
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  2. Yeukai A. Mlambo
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Correspondence to Reitumetse Obakeng Mabokela .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom

    Heather Eggins

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Mabokela, R.O., Mlambo, Y.A. (2017). Women, Leadership, and Organizational Culture in Higher Education: Lessons Learned from South Africa and Ghana. In: Eggins, H. (eds) The Changing Role of Women in Higher Education. The Changing Academy – The Changing Academic Profession in International Comparative Perspective, vol 17. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42436-1_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42436-1_4

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