Conceptual Study on Isomorphism and Stagnation of Employment Opportunities for Female Labor Force in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Female unemployment is one among the major issues that stifle the development potential of economies, as it slacks off the potential skills, knowledge, and competencies of female job anticipants without being utilized productively. Authors’ intension through the study is to develop a conceptual model in order to assess the continuing problem of female unemployment of Sri Lanka. The value is comparatively high to that of males despite the country’s initiatives towards equal access for health, education and other regulations to promote equal opportunities for all citizens. The identified research gap has been addressed using Institutional Isomorphism - A concept at the core of the Institutional Theory. Institutional Isomorphism explains the phenomena of organizational homogeneity created through three distinctive mechanisms - coercive, normative, and mimetic isomorphism and its subsequent effect on female unemployment is presented in a theoretical framework at the end of the study. Apparently, the study makes a theoretical implication as accommodation of Institutional Isomorphism to assess a research problem of this variety is done for the first time both locally and internationally. The study has socio-cultural and economic impacts as the proposed conceptual model would aid potential researchers to address the problem of female unemployment through a novel facet with the anticipation of revealing broader factors and forces that constrain the employability of females and suggest feasible solutions to overcome the above.