Olivia Tindle

• BA (Hons) Geography
• How has the New Zealand shattered the Glass Ceiling: a study of women in Auckland

Over May and June 2015 I travelled to Auckland, New Zealand where I undertook 16 semi structured interviews with women who have reached senior leadership roles in their careers. I interviewed each woman individually about their opinions and thoughts on women in New Zealand, the culture in New Zealand, policies that are in place to help women in the workplace, as well as the concept of the glass ceiling and what it means in New Zealand. The answers to my questions were very varied and gave me several perspectives on how women have been successful in their careers in New Zealand, but also how there is still work to be done. The experience was once in a lifetime and the women I met were inspiring. Once back in the UK I had the tricky task of transcribing the data rich interviews, to allow me to analyse the responses, to enable me to see how New Zealand has been successful, or indeed has it? I also now question the concept the ‘glass ceiling’ and have been introduced to another concept, the ‘labyrinth’, which may be more suitable for the New Zealand case study.

Project Supervisor: Ms Sophie Yarker, Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies

Funding source(s): University Development Trust and the Henderson Fund