title: Attitudes towards and Perceptions of Women Managers and Their Communication Competencies in the Sultanate of Oman

authors: AL-Mahrouqi, Abdullah

subjects: Attitudes

abstract: This study was concerned with the under-representation of women in leadership positions in the Sultanate of Oman. In particular, it focused on the attitudes of Omani people towards women as managers and the perceptions of these managers‘ communication competencies. It also explored reasons for the underrepresentation of women in managerial positions. The study investigated the topic through a feminist-research lens and used a mixed-method approach that included both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to collect the data. For quantitative data, a questionnaire survey was conducted on a convenience sample of 208 participants from the Ministry of Higher Education in Oman. The survey included two different tests: the Women as Managers Scale (WAMS) and the Communication Competencies of Women Managers Scale (CCWMS). For qualitative data, 12 Omani males and females from the Ministry were interviewed in order to gain in-depth information to complement the qualitative data. The survey data were analysed using the SPSS program while the interview transcripts were analysed using the thematic analysis technique to capture major themes that emerged from the data. The survey findings showed, first, that participants held both positive attitudes towards women in managerial positions and positive perceptions of women managers‘ communication competencies. Second, gender was not found to have significant influence on either the attitudes or the perceptions of communication competencies. Prior experience with women managers, on the other hand, did have significant influence on participants‘ perception of women managers‘ communication competencies but not on the attitudes towards these managers. The findings also indicated that there was a weak correlation between attitudes towards women managers and the perceptions of their communication competences. Finally, the findings showed a significant relationship between satisfaction of working with women managers and attitudes towards women managers, while there was no relationship between attitudes and being overseas. Thematic analysis of the interviews showed that the level of representation of women in managerial positions in Oman could be influenced by many factors educational, Managerial (professional), psychological, familial, societal, and religious. The contribution of this research lies in the following areas. First, the study helps fill the gap in knowledge identified in the review of the literature. While there is a reasonably volume of research on attitude towards women managers in a number of countries, there has been hardly any in Oman. Second, the study shows that while attitudes and perceptions towards women managers in Oman compare favourably with those in many countries, these positive attitudes and perceptions are far from universal. Some people in Oman still believe that men have more abilities than women and are more suitable to work as managers. Third, the research has highlighted the fact that although Omani women have received a great deal of support and encouragement from the Omani government in recent times, there is still much to be done to achieve proportional representation of men and women in managerial positions.

text: Attitudes towards and Perceptions of Women Managers and Their Communication Competencies in the Sultanate of Oman This study was concerned with the under-representation of women in leadership positions in the Sultanate of Oman. In particular, it focused on the attitudes of Omani people towards women as managers and the perceptions of these managers‘ communication competencies. It also explored reasons for the underrepresentation of women in managerial positions. The study investigated the topic through a feminist-research lens and used a mixed-method approach that included both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to collect the data. For quantitative data, a questionnaire survey was conducted on a convenience sample of 208 participants from the Ministry of Higher Education in Oman. The survey included two different tests: the Women as Managers Scale (WAMS) and the Communication Competencies of Women Managers Scale (CCWMS). For qualitative data, 12 Omani males and females from the Ministry were interviewed in order to gain in-depth information to complement the qualitative data. The survey data were analysed using the SPSS program while the interview transcripts were analysed using the thematic analysis technique to capture major themes that emerged from the data. The survey findings showed, first, that participants held both positive attitudes towards women in managerial positions and positive perceptions of women managers‘ communication competencies. Second, gender was not found to have significant influence on either the attitudes or the perceptions of communication competencies. Prior experience with women managers, on the other hand, did have significant influence on participants‘ perception of women managers‘ communication competencies but not on the attitudes towards these managers. The findings also indicated that there was a weak correlation between attitudes towards women managers and the perceptions of their communication competences. Finally, the findings showed a significant relationship between satisfaction of working with women managers and attitudes towards women managers, while there was no relationship between attitudes and being overseas. Thematic analysis of the interviews showed that the level of representation of women in managerial positions in Oman could be influenced by many factors educational, Managerial (professional), psychological, familial, societal, and religious. The contribution of this research lies in the following areas. First, the study helps fill the gap in knowledge identified in the review of the literature. While there is a reasonably volume of research on attitude towards women managers in a number of countries, there has been hardly any in Oman. Second, the study shows that while attitudes and perceptions towards women managers in Oman compare favourably with those in many countries, these positive attitudes and perceptions are far from universal. Some people in Oman still believe that men have more abilities than women and are more suitable to work as managers. Third, the research has highlighted the fact that although Omani women have received a great deal of support and encouragement from the Omani government in recent times, there is still much to be done to achieve proportional representation of men and women in managerial positions.

year: 2010

title: Fabric, fitness, and femininity:  A new materialist analysis of the activewear phenomenon

authors: Brice, Julie Elizabeth

subjects: Activewear

abstract: Activewear refers to casual clothing designed specifically for both function (enables and supports movement) and fashion. Since the early 2000s (and arguably earlier), activewear has seen a dramatic increase in popularity amongst women described, by some, as a fundamental change in women’s dress. Although often dismissed as simply the latest fashion trend, the activewear phenomenon can be understood as a complex entanglement of branding, fabric, skin, fat, muscle, consumption, environmentalism, gender, healthism, neoliberalism, and politics. While extremely prevalent in popular culture, there is limited socio-cultural scholarship on this complex phenomenon. This research seeks to better understand the connection between activewear, women’s fitness, and broader ideas around women’s moving bodies and femininity using a new materialist theoretical framework. 

New materialisms refer to a series of theories and concepts that are part of the posthumanist turn in social sciences. Although the approaches vary, in general, feminist new materialisms emphasise the vitality and liveliness of nonhuman matter, centralise the relationship between humans and nonhumans, see research processes as co-implicated in the production of knowledge, and maintain a political orientation towards the doing of gender. While many have discussed the theoretical implications of new materialisms, only recently have scholars begun exploring how to put new materialist concepts into practice in the research process. Therefore, this thesis contributes to a growing body of literature on the empirical possibilities of new materialisms. In particular, I use new materialist feminist physicist, Karen Barad’s theory of agential realism. 

Bringing together an array of humanist-based (interviews, focus groups, photo diaries) and creative methods, this research explores the potential of Baradian theory for studying the activewear phenomenon. Using three Baradian concepts (spacetimemattering, intra-action, and entanglement), I examine the material-discursive production of gender, fit femininity, and feminist politics within the activewear phenomenon. More specifically, I show how Barad’s spacetimemattering allows for an understanding of the ways activewear is entangled with previous iterations of femininity and works to rearticulate femininity as strong and powerful. Next, I bring together the material (i.e., clothing and bodies) with the discourses around activewear to emphasise how fit femininity and idealised bodies are produced through an entanglement of leggings, clothing, bodies, advertisements, and discourses. Finally, I use Barad’s concept of entanglement and writings on bodily boundaries to reimagine women’s moving bodies as phenomenon comprised of human and nonhuman entities. The thesis concludes with a discussion of the possibilities and challenges of using Baradian theory within feminist sport sociology. In particular, I describe how Barad’s agential realism allows for an understanding of activewear as a vital force in the production of boundaries around acceptable femininity. I also speak to some of the tensions and challenges scholars may experience when working with Baradian theory, such as issues with accessibility, representation, and time. In using new materialisms to understand activewear, this thesis contributes to the socio-cultural study of women’s fitness using a novel and innovative approach, in addition to advancing the literature on new materialisms and its empirical implications for feminist scholars of the moving body.

text: Fabric, fitness, and femininity:  A new materialist analysis of the activewear phenomenon Activewear refers to casual clothing designed specifically for both function (enables and supports movement) and fashion. Since the early 2000s (and arguably earlier), activewear has seen a dramatic increase in popularity amongst women described, by some, as a fundamental change in women’s dress. Although often dismissed as simply the latest fashion trend, the activewear phenomenon can be understood as a complex entanglement of branding, fabric, skin, fat, muscle, consumption, environmentalism, gender, healthism, neoliberalism, and politics. While extremely prevalent in popular culture, there is limited socio-cultural scholarship on this complex phenomenon. This research seeks to better understand the connection between activewear, women’s fitness, and broader ideas around women’s moving bodies and femininity using a new materialist theoretical framework. 

New materialisms refer to a series of theories and concepts that are part of the posthumanist turn in social sciences. Although the approaches vary, in general, feminist new materialisms emphasise the vitality and liveliness of nonhuman matter, centralise the relationship between humans and nonhumans, see research processes as co-implicated in the production of knowledge, and maintain a political orientation towards the doing of gender. While many have discussed the theoretical implications of new materialisms, only recently have scholars begun exploring how to put new materialist concepts into practice in the research process. Therefore, this thesis contributes to a growing body of literature on the empirical possibilities of new materialisms. In particular, I use new materialist feminist physicist, Karen Barad’s theory of agential realism. 

Bringing together an array of humanist-based (interviews, focus groups, photo diaries) and creative methods, this research explores the potential of Baradian theory for studying the activewear phenomenon. Using three Baradian concepts (spacetimemattering, intra-action, and entanglement), I examine the material-discursive production of gender, fit femininity, and feminist politics within the activewear phenomenon. More specifically, I show how Barad’s spacetimemattering allows for an understanding of the ways activewear is entangled with previous iterations of femininity and works to rearticulate femininity as strong and powerful. Next, I bring together the material (i.e., clothing and bodies) with the discourses around activewear to emphasise how fit femininity and idealised bodies are produced through an entanglement of leggings, clothing, bodies, advertisements, and discourses. Finally, I use Barad’s concept of entanglement and writings on bodily boundaries to reimagine women’s moving bodies as phenomenon comprised of human and nonhuman entities. The thesis concludes with a discussion of the possibilities and challenges of using Baradian theory within feminist sport sociology. In particular, I describe how Barad’s agential realism allows for an understanding of activewear as a vital force in the production of boundaries around acceptable femininity. I also speak to some of the tensions and challenges scholars may experience when working with Baradian theory, such as issues with accessibility, representation, and time. In using new materialisms to understand activewear, this thesis contributes to the socio-cultural study of women’s fitness using a novel and innovative approach, in addition to advancing the literature on new materialisms and its empirical implications for feminist scholars of the moving body.

year: 2021

title: Te whanau o te maungarongo hikoi: Maori practice in motion (3 July 2006 to 9 July 2006)

authors: Gilgen, Maynard

subjects: Maori

abstract: What you are about to read is, in the main, a narrative. This narrative is designed to do two things. On one level it simply provides an explanation of how Puti and John Snowden used the funding received for this project. This document is therefore a demonstration of their accountability for the monies received. On another, far deeper, level this document operates to demonstrate to the reader the real power of the traditional concepts of whanaungatanga, whakapapa, tikanga, wairua, and manaakitanga. The adults, youths and elders who embarked on this journey had experiences that are not easily explained in written form. This document must try to achieve this task, and only a narrative that attempts to show these traditional concepts in action can do it.

text: Te whanau o te maungarongo hikoi: Maori practice in motion (3 July 2006 to 9 July 2006) What you are about to read is, in the main, a narrative. This narrative is designed to do two things. On one level it simply provides an explanation of how Puti and John Snowden used the funding received for this project. This document is therefore a demonstration of their accountability for the monies received. On another, far deeper, level this document operates to demonstrate to the reader the real power of the traditional concepts of whanaungatanga, whakapapa, tikanga, wairua, and manaakitanga. The adults, youths and elders who embarked on this journey had experiences that are not easily explained in written form. This document must try to achieve this task, and only a narrative that attempts to show these traditional concepts in action can do it.

year: 2008