Article
Global Business Review
1–14
© 2019 IMI
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DOI: 10.1177/0972150919840935
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1
Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya
2
University of Gävle, Gävle, Sweden.
Corresponding author:
Aihie Osarenkhoe, University of Gävle, Gävle, Sweden 80176.
E-mail: aoh@hig.se
A Study of the Relationship
between Social Cognitive Factors
and Career Choice Satisfaction in
the Technology Career Path: A
Gendered Perspective
Lucy Esther Kuthea Nguti
1
Aihie Osarenkhoe
2
Ruth N. Kiraka
1
Abstract
The technology workforce is plagued by a diversity issue caused by women leaving the field at an
alarming rate. This global phenomenon afflicts developing nations in particular, since women are
believed to make up only 30 per cent of the technology workforce. However, there are little empirical
data from developing nations on the phenomenon since most studies on the topic have been conducted
in industrialized countries. This article, therefore, explores the relationship between socio-cognitive
mechanisms (self-efficacy, outcome expectation, perceived social support and academic-family
role conflict) and career choice satisfaction, which is posited to be one of the key influencers in an
individual’s decision to continue along a particular career path. A questionnaire was used to collect
data from students pursuing technology courses, such as in bachelor programmes in informatics and
telecommunications, at a private university in Kenya. The findings reveal that self-efficacy, outcome
expectations and perceived social support positively influence career choice satisfaction, especially
among female students, whereas academic-family role conflict negatively influences career choice
satisfaction of female students only. This means that government, higher education institutions and
employers need to be attentive to socio-cognitive mechanisms that influence women and use this
information to reduce the exodus of women from careers in technology.
Keywords
Career choice satisfaction, self-efficacy, outcome expectation, perceived social support, academic-
family role conflict