Comparing the Careers of Male and Female Executives
More and more women are moving into senior management positions yet they are still underrepresented. Do men and women follow similar routes to attain such a position?
A recent article, by Lyness and Thompson, (February, 2000) compares male and female executives in terms of perceived barriers and facilitators of advancement, self-reported developmental experiences, and career histories:
Results
Perceived Barriers:
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Women reported that lack of culture fit and difficulty getting geographic mobility were significantly greater barriers to advancement than did men.
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Other gender differences which were close to statistical significance were: Difficulty getting developmental assignments and being excluded from informal networks
Perceived Facilitators:
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Women gave higher ratings than men to the importance of having a good track record and developing relationships
Developmental Experiences:
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More of the women's experience than the men's involved non-authority relationships, and fewer of the women's experiences occurred overseas than men's
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No significant differences were found in startups; turning a business around; managing a downsizing; large scope; managing a diverse business or moving to a new function
Career Histories:
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Men's careers included more international assignments, more years in international assignments and more countries than women's careers
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No significant differences were found in line experience, transitions to novel situations, functional mobility or interorganisational mobility
How These Findings Relate to Career Success
For both genders career success (measured by organisational level and compensation) was found to be positively related to:
a) breadth of experiences
b) developmental assignments
Ultimately, if organisations want to help females to advance, they need to help break down the barriers that prevent women's access to developmental experiences.
Reference
Lyness, K.S. and Thompson, D.E. (2000) 'Climbing the Corporate Ladder: Do Female and Male Executives Follow the Same Route?' Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 85, No.1, pp.86-101
Newsletter: 2003