1Full Professor of Strategy, Strategy & Entrepreneurship Department, MBS School of Business, Montpellier, France
2Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour and Leadership, Innovation Academy, Skema Business School-Université Côte d’Azur, Suresnes, France
3Account Executive, Weights & Biases, London, United Kingdom
Journal of Business and Management Sciences.
2025,
Vol. 13 No. 2, 24-30
DOI: 10.12691/jbms-13-2-1
Copyright © 2025 Science and Education PublishingCite this paper: Dr. Oussama Ammar, Dr. Eliane Bacha, Salome Froment. Becoming a Women Leader: A Qualitative Study in the Information Technology Sector.
Journal of Business and Management Sciences. 2025; 13(2):24-30. doi: 10.12691/jbms-13-2-1.
Correspondence to: Dr. Oussama Ammar, Full Professor of Strategy, Strategy & Entrepreneurship Department, MBS School of Business, Montpellier, France. Email:
ammar.oussama@gmail.comAbstract
Based on social cognitive career theory (SCCT), our aim in this qualitative paper is to examine the factors that contribute to the success of women obtaining and maintaining positions in upper management in the IT field in the United States. To better understand their career development, we conducted interviews with 20 women aged 40 years or more in top-level, IT-industry management positions in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The information collected were analysed using thematic analysis. The results reveal interesting points related to the personal and contextual variables that help participants develop their careers. In addition, the study identifies the leadership styles that the participants adopted, and the challenges they faced as they worked to achieve their goals. Hence, this study shows that women can evolve in a male-dominated environment and succeed, thus contributing to career development theory.
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