An ethnographic study of a group of Singapore professional women : their self-perceptions and commonalties

• Main Author: Walsh, K. T.
• Published: Swansea University 2001
• Subjects: 306
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.639329

This study is about how one group of Singapore professional women view their lives as first generation professional women in a new rapidly urbanised society, Singapore, whose only natural resource, is human resource. The thesis will also try to determine any commonalties, in terms of characteristics, perceptions and lifestyle, that might exist among the group. The women chosen were Chinese married to Chinese men, with children and having post-secondary qualifications. The fourteen informants came from a variety of occupations and professions. After analysing the results it was found that these women, unlike their mothers had been well-educated, and to a certain extent were financially independent. Through paid employment, they had started to be offered similar opportunities to men. Having these changes in their status came about because of economic necessity. In spite of their new found independence, the support from their husband, their higher expectations of their relationships and, often equal say in family matters, they recognised that their primary role was that of mother and wife, - the caregiver. They had many commitments and in nearly all cases, one of their coping strategies was religion - a religion of Protestant-denomination, generally different from the religious of earlier generations. This type of teaching which stresses responsibility for one's own actions may be the reason that throughout the interview these women exhibited more of an internal locus than an external locus of control. Internalisers acknowledge the role they play in contributing to outcomes.