Breaking Through the Glass Ceiling: A Qualitative Hermeneutic Phenomenological Examination of Black Women’s Leadership Pathways in Project Management
Date of Award
Spring 2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
Committee Chair
Kathy Richie
Committee Member
Tracy Greene
Committee Member
Usha Palaniswamy
Abstract
Despite their credentials and contributions to organizational success, Black women remain disproportionately underrepresented in project management leadership. Advancement is constrained by systemic racism, limited mentorship and sponsorship, and exclusion from leadership pipelines, barriers that compound intersectional challenges and reinforce glass-ceiling effects. This study examined the lived experiences of Black women in the Midwestern United States who hold or aspire to leadership roles in project management, with particular attention to how institutional, organizational, and cultural factors shape career pathways and how effectively diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives support leadership development.
A hermeneutic phenomenological design was employed. Using snowball sampling, 13 Black women project managers with Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and at least three years of leadership experience participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis to interpret and synthesize participant narratives. Credibility was strengthened through member checking and reflective journaling.
Findings yielded four overarching themes: organizational bias and structural barriers, intersectional leadership challenges, mentorship and sponsorship gaps, and resilience strategies. Although participants reported the presence of DEI programs in many organizations, these initiatives were frequently described as inconsistently implemented, lacking accountability, and offering limited pathways to leadership advancement. The findings underscore the need for culturally responsive mentorship, inclusive leadership pipelines, and sustained organizational change to improve leadership access and equity in project management.
Recommended Citation
Horn, Stacey Lynn, "Breaking Through the Glass Ceiling: A Qualitative Hermeneutic Phenomenological Examination of Black Women’s Leadership Pathways in Project Management" (2026). All Doctoral Student Dissertations. 263.
https://fuse.franklin.edu/docpub/263
