Why We Still Have Gendered Organizational Progression of Individuals into Leadership Roles and What Can Be Done about It

Abstract

Abstract Organizations have an implicit concept of the ideal member who can progress to become a leader while the criteria for promotion to leadership roles are often established by a relatively narrow group of individuals and institutions at the top of any given field. We argue that while some leadership criteria can differ across organizations within a given field, and across different fields more generally, the fundamental human and social capitals that any organization considers as necessary for leaders are remarkably similar. However, there is not a level playing field for individuals in gaining the capitals which are considered necessary to reach organizational leadership roles. This is particularly the case for women, where a wide variety of gendered forces are at play. These factors operate over the employee lifecycle to prevent women from gaining the capitals required for progression. Using the Bourdieusian epistemological tools of field, capital and habitus, we explore why gender disparity continues in organizational leadership.