Department chair as mentor: perceptions of young female faculty members from Kazakhstan

Abstract

PurposeThe study explores factors affecting workplace–mentoring relationships of young female faculty members and their department chairs.Design/methodology/approachThe author used a qualitative interview research design to answer the research questions of the study. Semi-structured interviews of ten female faculty members from Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan were analyzed with the help of thematic coding and its interpretation.FindingsThe study suggests implementing women-only formal mentorship programs with Kochan's (2013) cultural framework for an organizational culture change. The reason is that study provides some insights into the traditional values that underpin age and gender biases in the professional community of Kazakhstani academia. However, but the results differ for participants who are informally mentored by department chairs with modern values. The author acknowledges that the small sample limits the findings and it's interpretation. Hence more research in the interdisciplinary field of gender, education and workforce in the context is required.Originality/valueThe study presents new evidence to support existing Western research on factors influencing workplace relationships and mentorship for young female faculty members. This empirical research adds on findings to the existing data from the Central Asian context, particularly to the sector of women studies and organizational culture in higher education institutions.