Enablers to Career Advancement of Female Foreign-Service Officials
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Abstract
Western countries have extensively studied the role of women in the workforce and the supportive key elements in career advancement and equality. However, despite ongoing gender equality campaigns in Thailand, statistics from the civil service workforce reveal a disparity, with fewer women ascending to upper positions, attributed to Asian cultural influences. This research underscored the significance of conducting qualitative research for informing future policy applications. This study collected data on the experiences of 12 women workers who received career advancement and 3 women workers with different qualifications in government agencies, such as the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Office of the Civil Service Commission, National Intelligence Agency, The Board of Investment of Thailand, and Tourism Authority of Thailand. Data were collected through in-depth interviews until data saturation and analyzed with documents and observations during interviews, using thematic analysis. The results revealed with two themes: 1) Organizational support, and 2) self and family support. Both supporting elements must align with a vision of gender equality. The research results offer a framework that may lead to applications in diverse gender groups.
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