| Titre : | Beyond Barriers: Actionable Solutions for Advancing Women's Leadership in French Health Consultancy |
| Auteurs : | Kaosisochukwu Nzeagwu ; Ecole des hautes études en santé publique (EHESP) (Rennes, FRA) |
| Type de document : | Mémoire |
| Année de publication : | 2025 |
| Description : | 58p. |
| Langues: | Anglais |
| Classement : | MPH/ (Mémoires MPH à partir de 2024) |
| Mots-clés : | Femme ; Directeur ; Consultant ; Leader ; Pouvoir ; Travail ; Genre ; Inégalité homme femme |
| Résumé : | Despite constituting the majority of the global health workforce, women remain significantly underrepresented in leadership positions, a gap that is particularly pronounced within the influential health consultancy sector. In France, this paradox is stark: Women make up 52% of the population and 49% of the workforce yet occupy only 25% of top executive roles, revealing a disconnect between progressive gender equity policies and practice. This study addresses the gap in actionable, sector-specific solutions by exploring the factors that perpetuate this inequality and identifying practical strategies for change. Adopting a qualitative, constructivist approach, this research uses thematic analysis of 14 semi-structured interviews with health consultancy professionals across all organizational levels in Paris, supplemented by survey data and organizational documents. The findings reveal a system of "sophisticated exclusion," where formal equality is undermined by informal barriers. Four key themes emerged: 1) structural barriers, including motherhood penalties and elite credentialism, that filter women from leadership pipelines; 2) unspoken cultural rules around "French elegance" and constant expectations that police women's ambition and behavior; 3) the compounding effects of intersectionality, where non-French women face additional layers of exclusion based on nationality, accent, and race; and 4) a significant gap between policy and practice, marked by symbolic compliance and the missed opportunity of active male allyship. The study concludes that overcoming these barriers requires moving beyond performative policies toward systemic change. It proposes a multi-level framework of practical interventions for organizations, policymakers, and the sector at large, emphasizing the need to embed accountability, formalize mentorship, and challenge narrow, traditional definitions of leadership. Ultimately, this research argues that fostering gender-inclusive leadership is not merely a matter of equity but a strategic imperative for building more innovative, ethical, and effective health systems. |
| Diplôme : | Master MPH of public health |
| Plan de classement simplifié : | Master of Public Health - master international de Santé Publique (MPH) |
| En ligne : | https://documentation.ehesp.fr/memoires/2025/mph/kaosisochukwu_nzeagwu.pdf |
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