Challenges and support behind dual roles: Implications for female lecturers’ performance and academic careers in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Orientation: Female lecturers in Indonesia, particularly in regions with strong sociocultural norms such as East Nusa Tenggara, face complex intersections between domestic responsibilities and professional expectations. These conditions shape their performance and academic career trajectories. Research purpose: This study examined how dual roles, family support, organisational support (OS) and local culture (LC) influence female lecturers’ performance and academic careers in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Motivation for the study: Although gendered barriers in academia have been widely discussed, limited empirical evidence exists on how different sociocultural and organisational environments jointly shape female lecturers’ outcomes in culturally distinct settings. This study addresses that gap in outcomes. Research approach/design and method: A quantitative survey was conducted involving 301 married female lecturers with children. Respondents were selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling to assess direct relationships among variables. Main findings: Family support, OS and LC significantly influenced lecturer performance. Academic careers were shaped by performance, dual roles, OS and LC. Dual roles did not directly affect performance but significantly contributed to academic careers, suggesting that the pressures of dual responsibilities may become drivers of academic advancement when supported by an enabling environment. Practical/managerial implications: Higher education institutions should prioritise gender-sensitive policies, strengthen OS systems and address sociocultural barriers to enhance women’s performance and career development. Contribution/value-add: This study provides one of the first empirical analyses of sociocultural–organisational dynamics affecting female lecturers’ careers in Indonesia, offering evidence-based insights for institutional reform and gender equity strategies.