Arttachariya, Patricia (1997) Women managers in Thailand : cultural, organizational and domestic issues. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

The main objective of this exploratory study was to add to the almost non-existent
Thai literature on women in management. Three key themes were pursued throughout
the study, i. e., the representation of Thai women in management, their work versus
family responsibilities, and the barriers they encounter in ascending the managerial
hierarchy.
The study was conducted in three distinct phases. First, a survey questionnaire was
distributed to 536 male and female middle-level managers across diverse organizations
in Bangkok. Second, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 67 women
managers. It was likely that those in public sector organizations differed in their
background and work experiences from their counterparts in private firms, hence data
was collected from women managers in the two sectors and comparisons made. Lastly,
structured interviews were held with 25 Human Resource/Line managers from a crosssection
of firms in which the women managers worked.
The study found that the women who have succeeded in these organizations are the
ones who have very similar backgrounds and attitudes to the men. They work the same
long hours, and have the same interest in furthering their careers as men. Therefore we
cannot explain women's career barriers in terms of individual characteristics, such as
their motivation or commitment to work. The results suggest that organizational
structures and processes are central to an understanding of the ways Thai women are
marginalized and excluded from managerial positions. For instance, women were
clustered in relatively few occupations, received less in terms of earnings and training,
had smaller spans of management, and less authority for final decisions than men.
During interviews, women managers mentioned that the negative attitudes of male
managers and gender biases in organizational practices, were barriers they had
frequently encountered. The data also revealed that the contradictory and ambiguous
values that underlie women's role as wife-mother at home and manager at work,
necessitated a constant struggle for balance and remarkable personal sacrifices on the
part of Thai women managers.
By way of conclusion this dissertation submits that there is not a single cause that
constrains women's advancement but rather a pattern of cultural, social and legal
factors that characterizes the general situation of women managers in Thailand.
Theoretical and practical implications of these findings for women in management are
discussed and future directions for research in this area are suggested.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Women executives -- Thailand
Official Date:	May 1997
Dates:	Date Event May 1997 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Warwick Business School
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Liff, Sonia
Sponsors:	Assumption University
Extent:	xiv, 419 p.
Language:	eng

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