Classification of the Challenges of Women’s Career Development in Iran’s Tourism Industry

Obstacles to the participation of women in tourism jobs, particularly in management positions, have been a persistent challenge for the industry worldwide, and especially in Iran. The aim of this study was to identify the challenges women face in career development within the tourism industry by examining the mediating role of organizational commitment. To conduct this research, the challenges hindering the advancement of women working in the tourism industry were investigated using a background study. These challenges were then transformed into a structured system using the Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) technique. To validate the resulting structural system, structural equation modeling was applied using SmartPLS3 software. The statistical population of this research consisted of experts, managers, and women working in the tourism sector in Iran, with data collected from a total of 117 participants. The study found that individual, social, and occupational-organizational factors indirectly affect women's career progression through the mediation of organizational commitment. The results indicated that the challenge of establishing a balance between work and personal life has the greatest impact on women's career advancement and should be prioritized in policies and programs related to gender. This research also proposes directions for future studies to enhance the methodological aspects and empirical evidence in this field. Notably, no study has been conducted in Iran focusing on career advancement and job promotion for women in the tourism and hospitality industry.