ASSESING THE CHALLENGES AND PROSPECT OF WOMEN MANAGERS IN FINANCIAL SECTOR: THE CASE OF DEVELOPMENT BANK OF ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the challenges and prospects of women managers in financial Sector in the case of Development Bank of Ethiopia. The study employed a descriptive method and used both qualitative and quantitative approach. Using purposive sampling techniques 7 women and 1 human resource management manager were interviewed and 80 questioners were collected from women managers, Women senior officers and women officers. The data obtained were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The qualitative data were analyzed using narration. Challenges faced by women managers in the financial sector, in the course of their careers include social and cultural stereotypes, psychological factor, the problem of balancing reproductive and workplace functions, lack of networking, lack of updating their knowledge and HR recruitment and promotion practice. The study has intended to indicate an important area of policy interventions it will also allow decision makers to revisit and correct existing gaps and thereby facilitates situations to realize challenges of women in managerial occupations in financial sectors in general and DBE in particular. Further, the study suggested that DBE needs to design new policy concerning women managers to use the leadership style and sound decision making ability of women managers because the bank environment require these quality as it is serving many customers which requires sound decision making ability. The challenges and prospects of Women Managers vary from sector to sector depending on the organizational culture as the study was entirely delimited to study the issues of DBE, it does not represent the scene in other financial sectors. Thus, further research needs to be conducted to address this Women Managers challenges and prospects in other context.