Title: What factors affect women's opportunities to assume leadership positions in the real estate brokerage industry?  Level: Bachelor's thesis in Business Administration Authors: Tilde Höglund Grönlund & Wera Pierre Supervisor: Katarina Arbin  Date: 2023 - mayAim: Investigate and contribute knowledge about what factors that affect women's  opportunities to assume leadership positions in the real estate brokerage industry.  Method: The study is qualitative and has an inductive approach. Seven interviews were conducted with female franchisees using semi-structured interviews.  Results and conclusions: The conclusion of this study is that the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions within the real estate brokerage industry is due to a complex interplay of factors. This includes men's preferences in hiring and promotion, as well as the existence of biases and stereotypes regarding women's competence and suitability for managerial roles.  Contribution of the thesis: The study contributes knowledge about potential barriers for women in becoming leaders in the real estate brokerage industry and examines whether there is a gender gap in leadership positions within the real estate brokerage industry. It is revealed that the issue of women in leadership positions is generally not as prevalent in the real estate brokerage industry. By highlighting these findings, the study can contribute to increased understanding of gender equality and promote a more inclusive work environment where women are given equal opportunities to exercise leadership and achieve success in their professional fields.  Suggestions for future research: To gain a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing women's opportunities to become franchisees in the real estate brokerage industry, an examination of recruitment processes, organizational culture, structures, as well as individual characteristics and resources is needed. Another direction could involve identifying and evaluating strategies and interventions to reduce gender disparities, such as inclusion programs, mentorship, and policy changes.  Key words: glass ceiling, glass cliff, women, leadership, gender, norms, stereotypes, gender equality, role congruity theory

Näringslivet kantas av en stundande underrepresentation av kvinnor på toppositioner. Därav är syftet med studien att skapa en förståelse kring vad det innebär och hur det upplevs för kvinnor att nå toppositioner i mansdominerade branscher. Vi kommer också att belysa vilka möjligheter och utmaningar kvinnorna fått möta under sin karriärväg till den toppositionen de idag besitter. Vår ambition är att undersöka den kvinnliga närvaron i toppskiktets upplevelser och erfarenheter av att vara minoritet i en svensk kontext. Studien bygger på en kvalitativ forskningsmetod med det empiriska insamlade materialet bestående av 8 stycken intervjuer med kvinnor i ledande befattning i högt uppsatt position verksamma inom olika, till synes mansdominerade branscher, runt om i Skåne, Blekinge och Västra Götaland. För att till fullo förstå den sociala företeelse som studeras, har vi konstruerat en teoretisk referensram som inkluderar relevanta teorier för studien. Vår studie resulterade i att kvinnor till största del anställs till en topposition utav män för att ersätta en annan man då organisationen befinner sig under mindre stabila förutsättningar. Resultaten visar på att de faktorer som gynnat kvinnorna i deras karriärväg är personliga egenskaper, kompetens och nätverk. Kvinnorna upplever utmaningar i de höga toppositionerna genom olika strukturella hinder till följd av deras könstillhörighet som kvinnor i många avseenden skapar själva. En reflektion från resultatet är därför att en jämställdhet i toppskiktet och en jämnare maktfördelning skulle leda till nyansering och ökad lönsamhet men framförallt leda till en jämnare könsfördelning fördelaktigt utifrån moral och social rättvisa. Sammanfattningsvis har vi kunnat fastställa att jämställdhetsprocessen förändras långsamt i toppskiktet, till följd av ökade institutionella krav från omvärlden. / *: Business life is edged by an imminent underrepresentation of women in top positions. Hence, the aim of the study is to create an understanding of what it means and how it has felt for women to reach top positions in male-dominated industries. We will also highlight the opportunities and challenges the women had to face during their career path to the top position they hold today. Our ambition is to investigate the female presence in the top layer's experiences and experiences of being a minority in a Swedish context. The study is based on a qualitative research method with the empirically collected material consisting of 8 interviews with women in senior positions in high-ranking positions active in various, seemingly male-dominated industries, around Skåne, Blekinge and Västra Götaland. To fully understand the social phenomenon that studies, we have constructed a theoretical frame of reference that includes relevant theories for study. Our study resulted in that women mostly being hired to a top position by men to replace a man when the organization is under less stable conditions. The results show that factors that have benefited women in their career path are personal characteristics, competence and networks. The women experience challenges in the high top positions through various structural obstacles as a result of their gender, which women in many respects create themselves. A reflection from the result is therefore that equality in the top layer and a more even distribution of power would lead to nuance and increased profitability, but above all lead to a more even gender distribution advantageously based on morality and social justice. In summary, we have been able to determine that the equality process is changing slowly in the top layer, as a result of increased institutional demands from the outside world. This thesis is written in Swedish.