The tenets of representative bureaucracy suggest that the composition of the bureaucracy should mirror the people it serves including women in order to influence the name, scope, and implementation of public policies. Women are still underrepresented in mid-to-upper management in male-dominated occupations. When women are under-represented in mid-to-upper levels of management in government, there are implications regarding representative bureaucracy. This study examined the career progression experiences of women who were successful in reaching mid-to-upper levels of management in male-dominated occupations in state government. Specifically, the study explored how women perceive various occupational factors including their rates of participation, experiences, gender, roles within the bureaucracy, interactions with their coworkers, leaders and organizational policies, personal influence, and decision-making abilities. The findings revealed that women experience various barriers to career progression in male-dominated occupations, but find mechanisms to navigate obstacles imposed by the negative consequences of tokenism. The findings indicate that although women have been successful in reaching mid-to-upper level management in male-dominated occupations, they do so in institutions, regional, district, field or offices with fewer overall employees where they have less opportunity to have influence on overall agency-wide policy decisions. The decision-making power is limited to implementation strategies of agency-wide policies within their smaller domains or geographical area of responsibility.

The aim of our paper is to examine from a sociological perspective the consequences women experience in their work in male-dominated occupations. We also want to examine different expectations placed on women in a male-dominated workplace and how these women in turn experience their professional role. Finally, we want to find out how these women view their leisure time and how it has a connection to their choice of profession. We have used qualitative interviews where eight women aged 20-50 were interviewed. Being questioned, tested all the time and placed in a union was of great importance in how the respondents experienced themselves in their male-dominated profession. The respondents have used different approaches to be able to prevent this. These included behaving more "boyishly" in order to be accepted by the male colleagues, trying to keep up with the "guys'" jokes as it is easier to have it and do with the men and to be tough. With the help of various theories and concepts, we have gained a broader perspective in the area we have investigated. We have chosen Yvonne Hirdman's theory of gender systems to gain a deeper understanding of the power structure that organizes the relationship between the sexes. We also delve into Judith Butler's theory of the heterosexual matrix, where masculinity is to express man and femininity is to express woman. Finally, we have chosen Erving Goffman's theory of dramaturgical sociology, which is important in Goffman's thinking about appearances that an individual presents in front of a group of observers where the observers also have an impact on the individual.

Sweden is ranked as one of the five most equal countries in the world. Despite this, there arestill some areas for improvement. There is a distinct gender-segregated labor market inSweden, which is mainly seen in the working professions, where there is also an overrepresentationof men in trade unions. The purpose of this study is to investigate the problemsthat may occur for union-elected women who work in male-dominated occupations. Previousresearch has shown women's involvement and challenges within trade unions in a global,national and a Swedish context. Further research has centered on the challenges women facewhen working in male-dominated occupations, primarily in a Swedish context but alsoglobally. The study's theoretical framework is based on Yvonne Hirdman's theory of gendersystem and gender contract. The empirical material has been collected through qualitativeinterviews with six informants who fulfilled the study's selection criteria. The results of thestudy show that women experience obstacles and challenges in the workplace due to theirgender in different ways. Being a trade union representative as a woman is also a factor thataffects them. However, the experience of being a woman and a union representative differsbetween the informants whether the response from others is positive or negative. The resultsshow that there are opportunities for change where both the union and employers must workactively on several levels with the problems to see a long-term change. / Sverige rankas som ett av de fem mest jämställda länderna i världen. Trots denna placeringförekommer det förbättringsmöjligheter inom vissa områden. Det råder en tydligkönssegregerad arbetsmarknad i Sverige som huvudsakligen ses inom arbetaryrkena, där detäven finns en överrepresentation av män i fackförbunden. Denna studies syfte är attundersöka vilka problem som kan tänkas förekomma för fackligt förtroendevalda kvinnorsom arbetar inom mansdominerade arbetaryrken. Tidigare forskning har berört kvinnorsengagemang och utmaningar inom fackförbund i global, nationell och svensk kontext. Vidareforskning har berört de utmaningar kvinnor möter som arbetar på mansdomineradearbetsplatser, främst i svensk kontext men även globalt. Studiens teoretiska ramverk utgårfrån Yvonne Hirdmans teorier om genussystem och genuskontrakt. Det empiriska materialethar samlats in via kvalitativa intervjuer med sex informanter som uppfyller studiensurvalskriterier. Resultatet av studien visar att kvinnorna upplever hinder och utmaningar påarbetsplatserna på grund av deras kön på olika sätt. Att som kvinna vara fackligtförtroendevald är även en faktor som påverkar dem. Upplevelsen av att vara kvinna ochfackligt förtroendevald skiljer sig dock åt mellan informanterna om responsen från andra ärpositiv eller negativ. Resultatet visar att det finns förändringsmöjligheter där bådefackförening och arbetsgivare måste arbeta aktivt på flera nivåer med problemen för att se enlångsiktig förändring.

The construction and usage of gender stereotypes are a continuous social process that occurs daily in the labour market. It is a common conception that negative stereotypes are harmful; however, they are still regularly used for decision-making. Gender stereotypes affect which occupations are interpreted as suitable for women and men. Therefore, women in the labour market face several obstacles to being viewed as legitimate workers and have a more challenging time advancing. This problem is especially evident in low-skilled male-dominated occupations. This paper aims to study how workers in low-skilled male-dominated occupations accept and rationalise differences in internal mobility opportunities. Material from vignettes will be analysed through a mixed method approach, including both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The results will be analysed through the concepts of the Worker and the Woman, which have been constructed with inspiration from social role theory, gender systems theory, and the ideal worker. The result shows that it is more accepted among workers in low-skilled male-dominated occupations that male workers with less experience get more internal mobility opportunities than female workers with more experience. This phenomenon is rationalised through gender stereotypes, such as that men have more significant interest and experience in these types of occupations, and are more likely to be favoured by their managers. Women’s opportunities for internal mobility are less accepted, and they are more expected to need help developing their skills. This study concludes that gender stereotypes affect the acceptance and rationalisation of gender differences in internal mobility. Thus, women in low-skilled male-dominated occupations face several challenges, and the results should be used as motivation that efforts to improve the gendered organisational culture is needed.

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Titel: Att vara kvinna i männens värld- En kvalitativ studie om kvinnors utvecklingsmöjligheter inom mansdominerade yrken Frågeställning: Vilka karriärhinder upplever kvinnor inom mansdominerade yrken?  Syfte: I följande arbete ämnar vi identifiera hinder för karriärmässig utveckling för kvinnor inom  mansdominerade yrken, för att skapa förutsättningar för organisationer att bygga bort dessa hinder.  Metod: Studien har en induktiv forskningsansats och en kvalitativ forskningsstrategi. Det empiriska materialet utgår från nio intervjuer med kvinnor som arbetar inom mansdominerade yrken. Slutsatser: De karriärhinder som uppstår för kvinnor som arbetar inom mansdominerade yrken baseras i konservativ kultur, diskriminering, att andra kvinnor blir konkurrenter,  image, sexism och problematiken med att veta sitt eget värde. På följande vis blir kvinnor utpekade som det “andra könet” och underordnade mannen och mansnormen. / Title: Being a woman in the world of men- A qualitative study of women's development opportunities in male-dominated occupations Research question: Which career obstacles do women experience in male-dominated occupations? Purpose: In the following paper, we intend to identify obstacles to career development for women in male-dominated professions, in order to provide conditions for organizations to remove said obstacles. Method: This study has an inductive research approach and a qualitative research strategy. The empirical material is based on nine interviews with women who work in male-dominated occupations. Conclusions: The career barriers that arise for women working in male-dominated professions are based on other women becoming competitors, discrimination, sexism, conservative culture, personal image, and the issue of knowing their own worth. In the following way, women are designated as the "other sex" and subordinate to the male and the male norm.

Text in English / The purpose of this study was to explore the work-life balance experiences of female engineers as they progress through various career life stages. Research has demon-strated that female engineers experience unique challenges as a result of gendered norms within male-dominated occupations, with changing life-roles, needs and ex-pectations across the various career life stages, impacting how they negotiate and perceive work-life balance. A qualitative research approach was followed using a her-meneutic phenomenology paradigm that employed a multiple case study approach consisting of semi-structured interviews with nine female engineers across three career life stages. The findings of the study confirmed current research into work-life balance, highlighting that work-life balance needs and expectations are different across the lifespan and are particularly affected by the changing nature of the work role within the lives of female engineers. Companies should consider changing their organisational culture to acknowledge the needs of female engineers in both family and work domains. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.Comm. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)