CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Introduction
This chapter reviewed related literature relating to the challenges female leaders and their coping mechanism in the colleges of education. The review was done in two parts. The first part deals with related literature on women status, career development and challenges preventing them from reaching the top of the management pyramid. The second part presents the theory that have guided this study which explores the challenges that female leaders in confronted with and the conceptual framework.
Women in higher education leadership cannot be treated in isolation from the general status of women in society (England, 2005). The history of female gender struggles dates back throughout history where the woman is allowed a very limited role to play in society with numerous restricted opportunities (Britton, 2000). Sad as it may sound the harsh reality of the plights of women somehow remains a reality in the 21st century. Gender inequalities continue to so pervasive and constitute a primarily disadvantage female, who suffer much more from the discrimination than it occurs to men. (ESU, 2008). Leadership positions in most organizations are almost the privilege of men. Women have often been placed in work situations where they have encountered barriers that affected their career progressions in taking up positions of leadership (Bird 2011; Lovejoy & Stone, 2012). Though the academia has distinguished itself as the most progressive part of society, at the higher levels, such institution has suffered their fair share of the phenomenon referred to as the “women issue” (ESU, 2008). Yet women historically have been excluded and still being excluded from taking very active part leadership and managerial roles in higher education.
2.1 Females in Educational Leadership and Management (Global Context)
According to the report of the American Council of Education (2012), the rate of women in leadership positions is increasing. Modley and Toni (2015a) points out that though there is increase in the numbers of women in educational leadership, there is significant reason to conclude that, higher educational institutions lack women as role models in leadership and further, added that conscious efforts should be made by higher educational institutions to promote the need for and facilitate the development of women and encouraging them to take up leadership positions.
Moodley and Toni (20015a) posits that universities and other higher educational institutions continue to be considered as gendered institutions that hinder the progress of women in taking up positions of power lining up with the argument by Gallant (2014) who suggests that higher educational institutions appoint people who have similar characteristics such as their predecessors who are mostly men. This practice encourages a more male focus leadership. To Thornton (2008) the gendered nature of institutions of higher education affects even the retaining of women
