Abstract
The main objective of this study is to explore how the length of maternity leave may impact on women’s career advancement in Kazakhstan. This research will seek to identify whether the perceptions about women and their job competence and other characteristics are influenced by the maternity leave length. Additionally, it will examine the differences in perceptions regarding mothers compared to fathers.
There is a substantial body of literature examining the impacts of maternity leave on female labor force participation, women leadership from fields such as labor economics, organizational management, social psychology research. However, vast majority of these studies originate from developed nations, with virtually no similar research from the developing world. Findings from experimental studies from western context suggest that female candidates might be disadvantaged for showing traits like ambition or assertiveness, whereas males with similar traits tend to receive more favorable treatment due to discrepancies in gender stereotypes. Based on stereotypes about traditional gender roles, taking maternity leave might signal to employers that women prioritize their families over their careers.
Kazakhstan is classified as an upper middle-income nation, characterized by traditional family values, yet it boasts a notably high female labor force participation rate, alongside a very low representation of women in leadership roles, while also having inherited substantial maternity leave benefits from the Soviet era. I hope that my study will help to understand whether women aspiring to reach top-level positions are penalized due to the “unintended” outcomes of maternity leave. This research aims to explore the intricate dynamics between maternity leave policies and women's career progression.
These studies are based on similar studies by Heilman and Okimoto (2008) and Hideg et al (2019, 2024). In addition to measure the agentic qualities it uses the CADDIS approach introduced by Ma et al (2022).