Women middle managers’ perception of the glass ceiling

Abstract

Women now represent approximately half of the working population in the USA. In 1996, the US Department of Labor reported that women comprised 44 percent of the total persons employed in executive, administrative and managerial occupations. However, this category is extremely broad, and women are grossly underrepresented at the top executive positions of Fortune 500 corporations. In 1995 the Federal Glass Ceiling Commission produced two reports: the first finding the existence of a glass ceiling; and the second presenting strategic recommendations on what corporations could do to remove or reduce these findings. Explores how women in middle management perceive their career advancement opportunities and what they consider their organizations to be doing to support their advancement. Overall, results suggest that the glass ceiling is still an issue for women within organizations. Finally, the business implications of this are considered.