Cultural Crisis. An Analysis of the Issues Affecting the Ascension of Women in the Australian Army.

摘要

Militaries are responsible to reflect the society from which their personnel are drawn. Therefore as societies change, so too, should the respective military. The Australian society is seeing an emerging trend of females striving to achieve success in both the family and work environments. The introduction of family friendly policies in civilian organizations is improving the ability for females to achieve a work-life balance. In an attempt to reflect society, the Australian Army has introduced policies to afford its personnel the ability to also achieve a work-life balance. However, the percentage of females in senior ranks is still low. What are the issues affecting the ascension of women in the Australian Army. How does a society influence the military. How does the Australian Army compare to other armies from around the world. Are our leaders equipped with the right training to drive cultural change. Is the Flexible Work Arrangements policy effective. Finally, will lifting restrictions for women to serve in combat roles improve the ascension rate within the Australian Army. This thesis explores these questions to identify the issues affecting the ascension of women in the Australian Army.