Batswana female managers’ career experiences and perspectives on corporate mobility and success

Orientation: Corporate mobility remains elusive for female managers.Research purpose: To investigate Batswana female managers’ strategies for entering and succeeding in managerial positions, the challenges they face and the consequences of success.Motivation for the study: There is a lack of research into the way Batswana female managers obtain management positions, as well as their experiences as female managers.Research approach, design and method: An interpretive approach using a case study strategy was employed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted which were shaped by the objectives of the study. A sample of female employees (n = 10), representing different organisations and professions, was obtained from various organisations in Botswana.Main findings: Findings revealed that female managers do experience a number of challenges. Various factors were identified that accounted for their career advancement as well as the consequences of success. The consequences of success were identified as being both positive and negative.Practical/managerial implications: The current study is important as the strategies for success that were identified can be used to assist interested women to obtain management-level positions. Furthermore, the challenges identified may assist both researchers and practitioners to design interventions that help to mitigate the challenges, in turn enabling the inclusion and advancement of women in leadership or managerial positions.Contributions: The current study may contribute new knowledge as past research conducted in Botswana seems to have focused mainly on the impact of regulatory and legislative challenges on women’s advancement. Such a focus ignores the other aspects of female managers’ experiences, which are addressed by the current study.