Navigating male-dominated industries: factors in the career development of women leaders in Vietnamese manufacturing and technology

Given the limited research on female leaders in male-dominated industries in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, this study investigates the career trajectories of women leaders in Vietnam’s manufacturing and technology sectors using a novel data source: 37 in-depth interviews sourced from prominent Vietnamese media channels on YouTube. Employing a combined approach of network analysis and content analysis on approximately 178,500 transcribed words (equivalent to 500 pages of text), the research explores key milestones, challenges, and factors influencing their leadership development. Network analysis visualized the interconnectedness of 31 identified themes, revealing the centrality of support systems, learning and adapting in career progression. Subsequent quantitative content analysis delved deeper into these themes, revealing the importance of family support, mentorship, skill development and adapting to new environments. This research examines the unique experiences of female leaders navigating male-dominated industries in a rapidly developing Asian economy, using publicly available online content to explore contemporary leadership development within a specific cultural context.