Factors contributing to the absence of women in senior management roles in the South African Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry

Abstract

The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry is essential in the local and global economy because, it contributes significantly to country's GDP. It creates significant job opportunities and drives consumer spending through its high demand for everyday products such as food, toiletries, beverages and cleaning supplies. This makes it a key player in the distribution and retail sectors. This research project is about the factors that contributes to the absence of women in senior management roles in the South African FMCG industry. Purposive sampling and a qualitative research approach were used in this investigation. Sixteen females from the FMCG industry were interviewed through MS teams, telephonically and in person. These are women who holds different positions in the FMCG industry for the benefit of getting different views as to why women's representation in top management roles within the FMCG industry is inadequate. The research focused on four categories which are gender disparity, organisational culture, self-perception theory and career planning advancement. During the analysis of the results, it was discovered that indeed there is less consideration for women when appointing for senior management roles in the FMCG industry. Glass ceiling theory was considered however the focus remained with the four categories that exist to a great extend in the FMCG industry. Women would like to occupy the senior roles however, due to lack of proper governance and research studies to identify the root cause, give guidance and solution to the problem this issue persist. This research has action plans for both the employers and employees to implement to eradicate this imbalance in the workplace.