Exploring Chinese doctoral graduates’ career choices and gender differences through the lens of rational choice theory

The expansion of doctoral education systems globally has spurred increased research into doctoral employment; however, there is a paucity of gender-based perspectives on the decisions of those who have entered the academic profession. This study delves into the career reflections of academics within the Chinese context, aiming to uncover gender differences in career choice of academic profession. Relying on the rational choice theory and a case study approach, the researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 40 academics (21 men and 19 women) at a prominent Chinese research university. Data analysis revealed that participants’ inclination towards an academic profession emerged from a nuanced assessment of preferential and constraining factors. Preferences were rooted in the potential for personal growth, better employment prospects within academia, societal expectations and a sense of comfort with the academic milieu. Furthermore, the discord between university research training and non-academic sector demands, coupled with the potential for disruption in personal research interests, created barriers to entering non-academic fields. Notably, this study unveils significant gender-based differences, with career prospects, societal norms, resource availability and gender biases all varying markedly between male and female academics in the context of Chinese society. The study’s findings about these gendered career considerations suggest that traditional Chinese culture may exert a profound influence on career trajectories, which calls for further investigation into how such cultural factors shape gender-specific career paths within China.