Effective Executive | Journals | Books and Articles

Effective Executive Journal

Simultaneous Systems of Disadvantage: Women as Technical Managers in Mining

Article Details

Pub. Date	: Sep 2022
Product Name	: Effective Executive
Product Type	: Coaching and Mentoring
Product Code	: EECM040922
Author Name	: Lindsey Miyen and Kurt April
Availability	: YES
Subject/Domain	: Management
Download Format	: PDF Format
No. of Pages	: 38

Price

Download

Abstract

This paper aims to gain insight into the underresearched personal and lived experiences of women in management in the mining industry in South Africa, allowing them to have a voice, and to provide inputs on reforms that support their increased integration. The research questions aim to explore the various challenges faced by, and demands placed on, women executives. Using a phenomenological approach, oneon- one interviews with a diverse group of women in management positions were conducted and analyzed. Specific focus was on the term 'women in mining', and the allocated identities thereof. The differences and commonalities of the intersectional experiences of the participants pertaining to working with both men and women, as well as the experiences of both the imposter syndrome and the glass ceiling were also explored. The study found that the challenges women faced were predominantly personal and environmental, as well as divergent at different organizational levels. The findings of this study have implications for employers as to how to recruit, develop and retain women in the mining industry, as well as for practitioners as how to tailor bespoke reforms for their integration.

Introduction: Be a Rutherford

Women in the mining industry experience many challenges and barriers as they navigate their careers in a male-dominated industry (Tallichet, 2000; Calitz, 2004; Benya, 2009; Lahiri-Dutt, 2012; and Botha and Cronje, 2015b). The representation of women in the mining industry is low (Botha, 2017), with the Minerals Council in South Africa (2022) reporting only 12% of female representation