The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of the glass ceiling beliefs on career advancement, the moderating effect of social initiatives and mental health in an emerging economy.
For this purpose, data were collected from 310 female accountants using a structured questionnaire. This study used structural equation modeling to examine the construct relationships. The reliability, validity and discriminant validity of the measures were assessed by Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability, average variance extracted and Fornell–Larcker criterion. Path and moderation analyses were additionally carried out to test the hypotheses. All the analyses are carried out in Statistical Package for the Social Science and Analysis of Moment Structures.
Results demonstrate that Bangladesh’s female accountants achieve greater professional growth when they embrace denial and resilience as their psychological approaches, enabling them to progress beyond existing institutional barriers. The acceptance of gender biases and resignation practices resulted in negative impacts on professional advancement, indicating how embracing internalized workforce restrictions affects professional success. Social initiatives established inclusive workplaces that minimized the negative effects of biased perceptions between the variables. Upward career advancement was reinforced by stronger mental health, resilience and optimism abilities. Organizations need to establish effective support systems alongside the development of individual psychological competencies for women to advance their careers.
The research examines how psychological elements and organizational aspects add value to academic knowledge about gender equality, workplace discrimination and career sustainability. It elevates the value of individual psychological orientations and social initiatives in enabling professional female growth beyond barriers.
