'Self' perception and self definition of women working in private sector in managerial positions

Official URL: http://risc01.sabanciuniv.edu/record=b1606727 (Table of Contents)

Towards the end of 20th century and at the beginning of the 21st century, with the entrance of women to the working life more, the direction of the discussion changed from the entrance of the women to working life to one examining their long term presence. Today, in 21st century the agenda consists of the kind of positions women occupy, the kinds of promotions they receive and how they obtain those kinds of positions, which is also triggered by the increase in the number of women in managerial positions. With the occupation of managerial positions by women, women and their success in business life has become more prominent; furthermore, the notion of the importance of work in the life of a woman has also changed. In other words, there was a mutual interaction between work and managerial women and while women affect the dynamics of the workforce, work and working life affect women themselves. My aim in this research is to explore the self-perception and self-identity of these women working in managerial positions as they experience different positions and work environment. In order to understand the self-perception of these women I address the ways in which the work or their job has a role in identity construction of these women, what kind of role it has in subject formation. In this thesis, the mechanisms through which these women managers are represented outside and to what extent the representations of these women are approved by their narration of their own stories are explored.