Purpose – This paper explores how highly skilled women workers in Sri Lanka navigate
organizational contexts via different modes of engagement in pursuit of hierarchical
advancement. The purpose of this paper is to contribute new insights into existing
understandings of women’s careers in diverse socio-cultural contexts.
Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on one-to-one in-depth interviews
conducted with 24 Sri Lankan women in early, mid and late career.
Findings – The findings reveal how the women in this sample actively used eight modes of
engagement to manage themselves in organizations and vertically advance in their careers.
The implications of these modes for organizational contexts and women’s careers are
highlighted.
Originality/value – This paper contributes to the limited literature on women’s careers in
South Asia and develops existing understandings of modes of engagement individuals use to
develop their careers (Duberley et al., 2006; Richardson, 2009; Al-Ariss, 2010; Evetts, 2000).