The glass ceiling: Some positive trends from the Lebanese banking sector

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to explore the salience of glass ceiling type barriers in the Lebanese banking sector, based on the perceptions of a sample of Lebanese top and middle level women managers. Design-methodology-approach - Literature review and survey type questionnaire molded after the women workplace culture questionnaire developed by Bergman and Hallberg. The questionnaire was administered to a sample of 61 top and middle level women managers, drawn from the context of 12 different banks in the Lebanese context. Findings - The findings suggest that the common precepts of the glass ceiling theory are not supported in the context of Lebanese banks with overall positive inferences and perceptions reported by Lebanese women managers in relation to their work environment and daily work experiences. These findings are explained by the progressive evolution of the Lebanese banking sector over the past few decades. Originality-value - The value added of this research is to revisit the salience of the glass ceiling in a non-traditional context, namely Lebanon. While the findings encountered in the banking sector cannot be generalized to the entire Lebanese society, they nevertheless present an unexpected trend and potentially interesting implications stemming from an Arab-Middle-Eastern context.