Finnish women’s perceptions of being a part of a formal external women’s network
Suonio, Ramona (2020)
2020
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020053015510
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020053015510
Tiivistelmä
The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of women who have joined an external women’s network to understand how they experienced joining this particular network in relations to their career. Differences between women’s and men’s networks and their benefits have been gaining increasing academic interest and at the same time, external women’s networks have been gaining more members. It is essential to examine how women experience these networks because women remain underrepresented in high-level managerial positions around the world and networking is associated with positive career development outcomes.
The research was qualitative and there were three semi-structured interviews with Finnish women who are members of different networks in Finland and Hong Kong. The data was analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) because it allows for studying people’s experiences and their perceptions.
Findings of this paper suggest that instead of trying to understand women’s networks through men’s equivalent it is crucial to examine them from women’s perspective. Super-ordinate themes found were self, needing the network, perception of work identity, self as a member, and shared identity of being a career woman. Self as a member and shared identity of being a career woman connect to how the participants experienced their network. Self as a member emphasizes the objective aspects whereas the shared identity of being a career woman focuses on subjective experiences. All three participants were in different points of their career which affected what they sought from these networks, but the experience was beneficial and fulfilling.
The research was qualitative and there were three semi-structured interviews with Finnish women who are members of different networks in Finland and Hong Kong. The data was analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) because it allows for studying people’s experiences and their perceptions.
Findings of this paper suggest that instead of trying to understand women’s networks through men’s equivalent it is crucial to examine them from women’s perspective. Super-ordinate themes found were self, needing the network, perception of work identity, self as a member, and shared identity of being a career woman. Self as a member and shared identity of being a career woman connect to how the participants experienced their network. Self as a member emphasizes the objective aspects whereas the shared identity of being a career woman focuses on subjective experiences. All three participants were in different points of their career which affected what they sought from these networks, but the experience was beneficial and fulfilling.