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Revisiting the Gender Ideology: Traditional and Egalitarian Family Role Definition in Africa

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Work-life Integration in Africa

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Abstract

The chapter identifies gender ideology as a critical factor in the management of work–life integration, since the gender ideology held by regions and individuals can have negative or positive consequences on the management of WLI. Three possible gender ideologies were identified: traditional, egalitarian, and neotraditional/transitional, and these have different effects on the management of work–life integration. The interaction between dominant regional and individuals’ preferred gender ideology is complex and complicated by the effects of cognitive dissonance. Regions have moved away from the predominant traditional gender ideology, but the movement did not achieve the preferred egalitarian ideology. This means that the dominant gender ideology is still detrimental to women’s effectiveness in the work and family domains. Also, the drift is stronger in the western world than it is in Africa. People must manage their gender ideology to enhance WLI achievement, especially for women.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University, Lekki, Nigeria

    Okechukwu E. Amah

  2. Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University, Lekki, Nigeria

    Marvel Ogah

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  1. Okechukwu E. Amah
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  2. Marvel Ogah
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Correspondence to Okechukwu E. Amah .

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Amah, O.E., Ogah, M. (2021). Revisiting the Gender Ideology: Traditional and Egalitarian Family Role Definition in Africa. In: Work-life Integration in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69113-4_11

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