Capable of Anything: Ethiopian Women and Tourism

ABSTRACT

Scholarly contributions argue that concerns about gender need to take into account geographical factors and be viewed in context rather than within a generalised framework. The current study is underpinned by poststructuralist feminist theory to investigate the various gender-viewpoints and how individuals construct their identities in Ethiopia's tourism and hospitality firms. Three major aggregate themes, including gender in employment practices, gender in leadership activities, and gender in entrepreneurial performance, were identified to achieve the set objectives. As a result, the study highlights that the gender aspect in employment, leadership, and entrepreneurship practices appeared gendered, multifaceted, and constantly negotiated. Furthermore, it reveals the importance of realising the various gender viewpoints (identities) and reducing conventional gendered (masculinised) ideologies in employment, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Research implications, limitations, and future agenda are also conversed.

KEYWORDS:

• Gender
• gender-viewpoints
• constructing identity
• negotiating gender‌
• poststructuralist feminist lens
• Ethiopia

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).