Designing a Glass Ceiling Model Using Grounded Theory Approach

With the growth of societies, women nowadays are much more involved in organizations and jobs than ever before and are active as an influential workforce. Although there has been a lot of progress in the presence of women today comparing with the past, the structural and social barriers and pressures to create a glass ceiling for women continue to this day. The purpose of this research is to design a glass ceiling approach to break based on grounded theory analysis.

This study is developmental in terms of result, exploratory in terms of the purpose, qualitative regarding methodology. Fifteen professionals including directors, officers, and professionals from different levels of the oil company took part in this study. The research data collection tool was interview and the data theory method was used to analyze the data. In the present study, the interviews were conducted in depth in the early stages, but because of the conceptual codes, the interviews were more purposeful and semi-open in order to properly conceptualize the topic.

The analysis of the research codes after performing open coding and axial coding revealed a total of 829 open source coding, 424 coding, 307 sub-themes, and 61 main themes.

Recognizing the causal factors, contextual and confounding conditions of the glass ceiling can increase the level of perception of women's empowerment as a basis for promotion and the level of organizational functions, both in human resource strategies and in enhancing the level of outcomes. This understanding can prepare the possibility to use the women’s abilities and promote gender equality in the organization.