Gender and Equality in the Workplace at Higher Education Institutions in Israel: A Study of Arab Female Employees in Leadership and Management Positions Compared to Arab Male Employees

Abstract

The development of leadership is a key concept in the current business environment. However, when it comes to gender-based roles among organizations of different natures and workplaces, women are the ones who remain subject to inferiority, discrimination and bias, particularly when it comes to assuming organizations’ management and leadership roles. In this regard, women inhabiting the Arab sector of Israel continue to face discrimination and gender inequality when they endeavor to acquire key organizational roles among the majority community. In the case of Israel, despite having more presence, good education and the required workplace expertise, they are still reeling from the evils of facing discrimination and bias from their male counterparts. Socio-religious practices and taboos established in households are one major factor of such discrimination, negatively affecting their workplace presence among organizations. From this perspective, this comprehensive research attempts to analyse leadership and management positions acquired by the women belonging to the Arab community dwelling in Israel. The results showed that even though a lot has been done to make workplace policies for women more open, both at the organisational and government levels, the fact that women have less education than men, their families are more conservative, and Arab women are still seen as different or less capable because of their gender and ethnicity. All of these things make it hard to give Arab women more leadership and management positions.