Women leadership in the transcontinental country: A study in Turkey

Today's professional environment is more diverse in terms of social, cultural, and ethnic dimensions than that in recent decades. The existing research has revealed that an organization's innovation and problem-solving capabilities benefit from diversity. With the increasing number of women in the workplace, gender, at least in part, has become a focus in organizational diversity. However, women in leadership positions, especially at lower and middle management levels, continue to be confronted with systematic microaggression and discrimination in their workplaces. Although an increasing number of societies are advancing toward gender parity in the work environment, the representation of women in senior positions remains a concern for many countries. Research shows that leadership effectiveness is contextual and connected to sociocultural values. Historically, transcontinental countries have potential advantages in terms of transit. Such a unique status brings cultural diversity and creates various economic opportunities for the workforce. Thus, based on interview and document review, this study focuses on a transcontinental country, Turkey, and examines the challenges faced by women leaders and their strategies to change existing systems through the precedence of leadership. As an emerging market, Turkey has witnessed significant growth in its economic and social development since the early 2000s. However, according to the World Bank, similar to many other countries, the COVID-19 crisis has deepened Turkey's gender gaps and increased the risk of inequalities. The chapter discusses various challenges at the societal and organizational levels that Turkish women managers face throughout their careers. Through an examination of the challenges and strategies perceived by women leaders, this chapter thus also provides implications for the development of women's leadership in the future.