Success strategies of highly achieving African-American women in organizational culture: a qualitative study
Success strategies of highly achieving African-American women in organizational culture: a qualitative study
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Issue Date
1998
Authors
Akil, Julianna King
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Abstract
This study explored the success strategies of highly achieving African American women in organizational culture. The vehicle by which the participants were studied was by qualitative inquiry. What were the strategies that were employed to achieve their management positions? What were the barriers encountered during their career development? What were the solutions to overcoming the barriers? These questions were among those that were asked of each participant during the data collection process. The data were analyzed using an 8-step systematic process of analyzing textual data, which was derived from Tesch (1990). Results revealed that the primary strategies employed were positioning oneself in an organization, aligning oneself with a mentor, and having a passion for one's career. Additional findings were the importance of maintaining focus and a goal as well as having the external support of family and friends. Three recommendations were derived from the findings. First, the study of African American women in history as it relates to the American workforce was suggested. Second a compare and contrast study of the experience of African American women with that of other women was essential. Lastly, a longitudinal study was recommended to track an individual or a select group of individuals and their career development over time. This researcher influenced the data by assuming that the obstacles and thus strategies of career development revolved around racism and sexism. Interview questions were formulated based on this assumption. The findings however, proved that the participants of this study did not acknowledge the two as outstanding barriers. Racism and sexism were encountered and conquered by simply not allowing them to hinder the participant's career development. This was achieved by employing the strategies cited above.
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Psychology