This thesis conceptualises the careers of women in the developing country context of Malawi. A range of 'new' career theories, namely boundaryless, protean, kaleidoscope have been developed in response to the limitations of using traditional theories for studying careers and women's careers in particular. However, these theories have been mostly based on women with interrupted careers in western contexts due to child care reasons. These have also assumed that women have preferences in terms of whether to be career oriented or family oriented. Yet, women in developing and indeed some women in the developed countries have constrained choices and do not pursue interrupted careers. Despite having family responsibilities, they work continuously and mostly full-time. Therefore, there have been calls for more context-specific career studies, especially targeting developing countries. Based on this literature gap, this thesis adopted a qualitative approach to conceptualise the careers of women in Malawi, drawing on the experiences of women in the formal economy, specifically in education and finance and insurance industries. The study finds that the careers of women in Malawi and indeed other women in similar contexts do not fit the existing career perspectives and the proposed 'makeshift' career orientation better explains the studied women's careers. This proposed career concept recognises that careers are a result of compromises that women make when faced with tensions emanating from both the employment and family contexts which simultaneously influence women's careers. The research therefore provides the basis for broadening the existing career perspectives to more adequately reflect the experiences of women, particularly in the developing world. Additionally, the study has adopted an intersectionally-sensitive approach to analysing the employment contexts in two very different sectors. The evidence presented in this thesis gives weight to the intersectional perspective as not only does it find that the actual form of inequality varies but also that the various practices that contribute to inequalities in the different sectors affect different groups of people differently by gender, class and in certain cases region. This contributes to the embryonic literature on intersectionality in terms of both its practice and theory, and understanding how gender and class issues in Malawi may be different from the way these are conceptualised in western contexts.

Depois de algumas décadas da entrada das mulheres no mercado de trabalho, esperava-se que a equidade de gênero já fosse uma realidade nas organizações. Porém, os números mostram que os homens ainda são maioria e que quanto mais alto o cargo, menor a quantidade de mulheres. No Brasil, segundo pesquisa do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE), em 2016, 60,9% dos cargos gerenciais, tanto no poder público quanto na iniciativa privada, eram ocupados por homens e 37,8% por mulheres. As mulheres continuam ganhando menos com salários em torno de 75% inferiores ao dos homens. A questão do aumento da presença das mulheres nas organizações deve ser vista como um problema econômico, pois elas representam talentos que podem contribuir para o aumento da produtividade e dos resultados financeiros das organizações, gerando impactos positivos em toda a economia. De fato, a maioria das mulheres possui carreiras não lineares e realizam mudanças de trajetórias em suas carreiras. O termo \"opt out\" foi utilizado para explicar a saída de mulheres altamente qualificadas das organizações. Acreditava-se que o principal motivo desta mudança de carreira era em função da maternidade e da família. Porém, Mainiero e Sullivan (2005) fizeram uma extensa pesquisa e descobriram que os motivos do \"opt out\" eram muito mais complexos. Necessidade de oportunidades interessantes, reconhecimento e equilíbrio entre vida pessoal e profissional são fundamentais para as mulheres. Desenvolveram, então, um novo modelo de carreira chamado de modelo da carreira caleidoscópio. Baseado no funcionamento do caleidoscópio, considera que as decisões de carreira dependem de três pilares: autenticidade, balanço e desafio. As pessoas ajustam suas carreiras de acordo com a importância de cada um desses pilares ao longo de suas vidas. Com base no modelo da carreira caleidoscópio, esta pesquisa de natureza qualitativa analisou os fatores que influenciam as decisões de carreira de mulheres executivas. No referencial teórico, foram considerados 3 construtos principais: carreira, gênero e ambiente corporativo. Foram realizadas 18 entrevistas não estruturadas com 2 grupos de mulheres na fase intermediária de carreira e com pelo menos 1 filho: mulheres que permanecem na carreira corporativa e mulheres que mudaram de carreira. A análise dos resultados foi feita em 2 partes: a análise cronológica das carreiras dessas mulheres e a análise de conteúdo com a categorização e análise das respostas obtidas. As conclusões mostraram que as decisões de carreira das mulheres são extremamente complexas e dependem de inúmeros fatores. Vida pessoal e profissional devem ser analisadas de forma integrada e a maternidade não é o fator decisivo para as mudanças de carreira das mulheres. O modelo da carreira caleidoscópio mostrou-se bastante aderente à análise efetuada e os pilares autenticidade, balanço e desafio foram priorizados de acordo com cada momento. Clima organizacional e liderança positivos, políticas corporativas, suporte da família e do parceiro e equilíbrio nos pilares autenticidade, desafio e balanço são alguns dos fatores que contribuem diretamente para a permanência na carreira corporativa. Diante de dificuldades, insatisfação e desequilíbrios nos pilares da carreira caleidoscópio, as mulheres tomam suas decisões de carreira e em alguns casos, fazem o \"opt out\" total. / After a few decades of women entering the labor market, it was expected that gender equity would already be a reality in organizations. However, men are still the majority and the differences are worse at the top positions. In Brazil, according to IBGE, in 2016, women represented only 37,8% of the management positions in the state and private companies and their wages were 25% lower than men\'s. To increase the presence of women in organizations should be seen as an economic problem, since they represent talents that can contribute to the increase of productivity and financial results of the organizations, generating positive impacts throughout the economy. In fact, most women have non-linear careers and make career changes. The \"opt out\" term was used to explain the evasion of highly skilled women from organizations. Maternity and family reasons were considered the main reasons for these career changes. However, Mainiero and Sullivan (2006) found out that the opt out reasons were more complex. Interesting opportunities, recognition and balance between personal and professional life were considered very important factors for women\'s lives. As a result of this research, they developed the kaleidoscope career model. Based on the kaleidoscope\'s system, it considers that career decisions depend on three pillars: authenticity, balance and challenge. People adjust their careers according to the importance of each of these pillars throughout their lives. Based on the kaleidoscope career model, this qualitative research examined the factors that influence the career decisions of executive women. In the theoretical reference, 3 main constructs were considered: career, gender and corporate environment. There were 18 unstructured interviews with 2 mid-career women groups and at least 1 child: women who remained in the corporate career and women who changed their careers. The analysis of the results was done in two parts: the chronological analysis of the careers of these women and the content analysis with the categorization and analysis of the answers obtained. The findings showed that women\'s career choices are extremely complex and depend on a number of factors. Personal and professional life should be analyzed in an integrated way and motherhood is not the decisive factor for women\'s career changes. The kaleidoscope career model showed to be quite adherent to the analysis performed and the authenticity, balance and challenge pillars were prioritized according to each moment. Positive organizational climate and leadership, corporate policies, family and partner support and the pillars of authenticity, challenge and balance are some of the factors that directly contribute to the permanence in the corporate career. Difficulties, dissatisfaction and imbalances in the cornerstones of the kaleidoscope career can lead women to make significant career decisions and, in some cases, opt out.

Depois de algumas décadas da entrada das mulheres no mercado de trabalho, esperava-se que a equidade de gênero já fosse uma realidade nas organizações. Porém, os números mostram que os homens ainda são maioria e que quanto mais alto o cargo, menor a quantidade de mulheres. No Brasil, segundo pesquisa do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE), em 2016, 60,9% dos cargos gerenciais, tanto no poder público quanto na iniciativa privada, eram ocupados por homens e 37,8% por mulheres. As mulheres continuam ganhando menos com salários em torno de 75% inferiores ao dos homens. A questão do aumento da presença das mulheres nas organizações deve ser vista como um problema econômico, pois elas representam talentos que podem contribuir para o aumento da produtividade e dos resultados financeiros das organizações, gerando impactos positivos em toda a economia. De fato, a maioria das mulheres possui carreiras não lineares e realizam mudanças de trajetórias em suas carreiras. O termo \"opt out\" foi utilizado para explicar a saída de mulheres altamente qualificadas das organizações. Acreditava-se que o principal motivo desta mudança de carreira era em função da maternidade e da família. Porém, Mainiero e Sullivan (2005) fizeram uma extensa pesquisa e descobriram que os motivos do \"opt out\" eram muito mais complexos. Necessidade de oportunidades interessantes, reconhecimento e equilíbrio entre vida pessoal e profissional são fundamentais para as mulheres. Desenvolveram, então, um novo modelo de carreira chamado de modelo da carreira caleidoscópio. Baseado no funcionamento do caleidoscópio, considera que as decisões de carreira dependem de três pilares: autenticidade, balanço e desafio. As pessoas ajustam suas carreiras de acordo com a importância de cada um desses pilares ao longo de suas vidas. Com base no modelo da carreira caleidoscópio, esta pesquisa de natureza qualitativa analisou os fatores que influenciam as decisões de carreira de mulheres executivas. No referencial teórico, foram considerados 3 construtos principais: carreira, gênero e ambiente corporativo. Foram realizadas 18 entrevistas não estruturadas com 2 grupos de mulheres na fase intermediária de carreira e com pelo menos 1 filho: mulheres que permanecem na carreira corporativa e mulheres que mudaram de carreira. A análise dos resultados foi feita em 2 partes: a análise cronológica das carreiras dessas mulheres e a análise de conteúdo com a categorização e análise das respostas obtidas. As conclusões mostraram que as decisões de carreira das mulheres são extremamente complexas e dependem de inúmeros fatores. Vida pessoal e profissional devem ser analisadas de forma integrada e a maternidade não é o fator decisivo para as mudanças de carreira das mulheres. O modelo da carreira caleidoscópio mostrou-se bastante aderente à análise efetuada e os pilares autenticidade, balanço e desafio foram priorizados de acordo com cada momento. Clima organizacional e liderança positivos, políticas corporativas, suporte da família e do parceiro e equilíbrio nos pilares autenticidade, desafio e balanço são alguns dos fatores que contribuem diretamente para a permanência na carreira corporativa. Diante de dificuldades, insatisfação e desequilíbrios nos pilares da carreira caleidoscópio, as mulheres tomam suas decisões de carreira e em alguns casos, fazem o \"opt out\" total. / After a few decades of women entering the labor market, it was expected that gender equity would already be a reality in organizations. However, men are still the majority and the differences are worse at the top positions. In Brazil, according to IBGE, in 2016, women represented only 37,8% of the management positions in the state and private companies and their wages were 25% lower than men\'s. To increase the presence of women in organizations should be seen as an economic problem, since they represent talents that can contribute to the increase of productivity and financial results of the organizations, generating positive impacts throughout the economy. In fact, most women have non-linear careers and make career changes. The \"opt out\" term was used to explain the evasion of highly skilled women from organizations. Maternity and family reasons were considered the main reasons for these career changes. However, Mainiero and Sullivan (2006) found out that the opt out reasons were more complex. Interesting opportunities, recognition and balance between personal and professional life were considered very important factors for women\'s lives. As a result of this research, they developed the kaleidoscope career model. Based on the kaleidoscope\'s system, it considers that career decisions depend on three pillars: authenticity, balance and challenge. People adjust their careers according to the importance of each of these pillars throughout their lives. Based on the kaleidoscope career model, this qualitative research examined the factors that influence the career decisions of executive women. In the theoretical reference, 3 main constructs were considered: career, gender and corporate environment. There were 18 unstructured interviews with 2 mid-career women groups and at least 1 child: women who remained in the corporate career and women who changed their careers. The analysis of the results was done in two parts: the chronological analysis of the careers of these women and the content analysis with the categorization and analysis of the answers obtained. The findings showed that women\'s career choices are extremely complex and depend on a number of factors. Personal and professional life should be analyzed in an integrated way and motherhood is not the decisive factor for women\'s career changes. The kaleidoscope career model showed to be quite adherent to the analysis performed and the authenticity, balance and challenge pillars were prioritized according to each moment. Positive organizational climate and leadership, corporate policies, family and partner support and the pillars of authenticity, challenge and balance are some of the factors that directly contribute to the permanence in the corporate career. Difficulties, dissatisfaction and imbalances in the cornerstones of the kaleidoscope career can lead women to make significant career decisions and, in some cases, opt out.