Force and Inertia: A Systematic Review of Women’s Leadership in Male-Dominated Organizational Cultures in the United States

Abstract

The ascension of women into top leadership roles in male-dominated industries and organizations in the United States remains significantly low despite inroads women have made over the past two decades. The scarcity of women in leadership has been attributed to gendered traits and socialized beliefs that inform organizational cultures. However, research suggests that leaders can also influence organizational culture because they model the primary principles undergirding workplace cultures. This systematic review sought to understand how women’s leadership has been described in influencing male-dominated organizational cultures. Three major themes were identified to answer the research question—Strategic Femininity, Shared Power, and Change Agents. Using the analogy of inertia and force, a discussion of the findings and implications for human resource development (HRD) research and practice are presented.