Abstract:
In the rapidly changing environment of Sri Lanka’s logistics sector, gender
diversity remains a critical challenge. Several factors influence women's
employment in this sector, resulting in a noticeable lack of female
participation. Therefore, to bridge this gap, the study's primary objective was
to identify the factors that impact female employment in the Sri Lankan
logistics sector. The study employed qualitative methods, guided by an
inductive approach, to explore the key factors. Data were collected from
seventeen female participants through semi-structured interviews, with
participants selected using purposive sampling. Thematic analysis was
employed to identify patterns in the qualitative data, with coding performed
using MAXQDA software. This study identifies the key factors that influence
female employment in logistics, including work-life balance, corporate culture,
educational background, and operational complexity. While the existing
literature review reveals factors such as work-life balance, corporate culture,
and educational background, this study introduces operational complexity as a
new barrier to female participation in Sri Lankan logistics. The findings of this
study provide valuable insights for industry stakeholders and policymakers,
helping to address the barriers that limit female employment opportunities in
Sri Lanka’s logistics sector.
