Bien que le nombre de femmes, travaillant dans des cabinets de conseil et à des postes à haute responsabilité, ait augmenté, il reste cependant moins élevé que celui des hommes. En effet, la promotion au statut d’associé est le critère utilisé pour marquer la nature et l’existence, au sein des entreprises de services professionnels, de ce qu’on appelle en français le ‘plafond de verre’. De même, devenir associé constitue une des évolutions professionnelles les plus complexes qui soit, le futur associé devant s’inventer une identité professionnelle nouvelle et différente. Dans ce contexte, l’objectif de cette recherche est double. Tout d’abord, elle s’attache à mieux comprendre comment les femmes et les hommes consultants, au sein d’une culture organisationnelle sexualisée, se construisent leur propre identité professionnelle. Ensuite, son objectif est également d’approfondir les connaissances sur la façon dont l’identité professionnelle contribue à expliquer l’existence et la nature de ce ‘plafond de verre’ dans les entreprises de services professionnels.Cette perspective se base sur une étude qualitative réalisée auprès d’hommes et de femmes consultants et cadres supérieurs, et en particulier, mais pas de façon exclusive, auprès de ceux qui ont été promus associé. L’étude a été menée auprès d’associés et non associés évoluant au sein de quatre grands cabinets de conseil français et de deux grands cabinets américains. / Although there has been an increase in the number of women entering the management consulting firms, they are still proportionally much fewer in the highest levels of the hierarchy than men. Indeed, the promotion to partner is the criterion used to establish the nature and existence of the “glass ceiling” in professional services firms. At the same time, the transformation to partner is one of the most complex professional transformations there can be, in which the aspiring partners must assume a new and different professional identity. In this context, the aim of this research is twofold. On the one hand, the present research aims to better understand how women and men consultants construct their professional identities, in a gendered organizational culture. On the other hand, it also aims to deepen, in particular, the understanding of the ways in which professional identity contributes to explain the existence and nature of the glass ceiling in professional services firms. The perspective developed here is based on a qualitative study of male and female consultants and senior executives, primarily, although not exclusively, those who went through the promotion to partner. The research was conducted with partners and non-partners from four large management consulting firms in France, and two large management consulting firms in the United States.

Aujourd’hui encore et presque partout dans le monde, les femmes se heurtent à une barrière appelée « plafond de verre », qui freine leur progression. Une barrière invisible mais dont les conséquences sur l’égalité professionnelle entre hommes et femmes, sont, quant à elles, bien visibles. Soucieux d’éclairer ce phénomène dans sa complexité, nous tentons, d’identifier et d’explorer les facteurs qui le composent et leurs interactions. Cette thèse interroge également le contraste entre la catégorie juridique et la pratique de l’égalité au sein de la sphère professionnelle. Il s’agit de questionner la place de l’égalité dans le champ législatif et organisationnel pour tenter de comprendre ce qui se cache derrière le maintien du plafond de verre. Nous appuyons notre analyse sur une investigation empirique approfondie, à visée comparative, des contextes marocain et français. Nos résultats confirment l’idée générale : le plafond de verre, loin d’éclater, est en train de couvrir un champ toujours plus large. / Almost all over the world and to date, women still face a barrier called “glass ceiling”, impeding their carrier’s progression. An invisible barrier but whose impact on workplace equality is clearly visible. This thesis aims to shed light on the complexity of the glass ceiling phenomenon by identifying the contributing factors which creates it and exploring their interactions. This work, also, seeks to examine gender equality in legislation and gender equality in the workplace, in order to understand the persistence of the glass ceiling. Our analysis is based on an in-depth empirical comparative investigation, of the Moroccan and French contexts. Our results confirm the general idea: the glass ceiling, far from bursting, is covering a field always wider.

The thesis analyses the course and tempo of women´s careers in comparison with those of men, based on an analysis of my own research conducted at the company EY. The results of the research demonstrates, whether it is more challenging for women or men to achieve a managerial position. The thesis identifies and analyse the different factors that may influence the career of women, based on the theoretical findings and on a qualitative interview.

This study is a qualitative exploration of the experiences of female executives in the financial sector of South Africa. It aims to explore the perceptions of the possible challenges which have been experienced by executive women within the financial sector while attempting to break the glass ceiling. In many countries including South Africa there lies a contradiction between our governmental policies of equality and equal representation for men and women in the employment sectors and the actual practice. Despite the fact that our employment laws have changed in order to give equal opportunities to both males and females there is still such a small percentage of women holding executive positions in corporate South Africa and this could be a consequence of the challenges faced by them. Using interpretive phenomenological analysis based on a feminist standpoint as a method, this study explores the hidden gender inequalities that exist within the boardrooms of the financial sector. It starts by exploring how available literature constructs the problem as related to the internal organisational and institutional structures of the financial sectors and individual matters and societal perceptions. Interview data from semi-structured interviews with females in executive positions were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Similar views emerged from the participants in this study, which confirm previous literature and studies. The barriers highlighted in this research were the different roles which men and women perform, compensation, networking and mentoring disadvantages, re-entry into the corporate world after maternity leave and the ability to be a mother and career woman at the same time. The study agrees that women tend to experience the glass ceiling or factors contributing to what has been termed the glass ceiling. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Psychology / MA / Unrestricted

Thesis (MTech (Business and Information Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019 / Various efforts have been made to address the issue of gender equality at the workplace. It can be noted that even though equal opportunities between men and women may exist, the discrimination of women is still immanent in the workplace for example gender bias, unequal opportunities and underrepresentation. Previous research has failed to give a clear picture on the impact of information, communication, and technologies on gender gaps. It is mostly generalised. This study evaluates the role of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in promoting gender equality in the workplace. The research explores different theoretical perspectives namely Gender Glass Ceiling, Equity Theory, Technology Acceptance Model, Gender Inequality and Discrimination, Critical Information Systems Theory and the Feminist Theory. The study used a qualitative research method and a case study design in order to fulfil the study’s objectives and aim. It was carried out at a selected higher education institution in South Africa. Purposive sampling was used and 19 research participants were interviewed both men and women. The data that was collected was transcribed, coded using open coding, analysed and interpreted using thematic analysis to make sense of the findings. Ethical codes of conduct such as truthfulness, confidentiality, anonymity, beneficence and data protection were employed due to the sensitive nature of the study. Results show that ICTs play a vital role in promoting gender equality. ICTs enable employees to become educated, skilled and knowledgeable becoming aware of their rights and fair practices in the workplace. ICTs also enhance both men and women empowerment in independency, decision making and self-actualisation. Fundamental recommendations are given by the researcher regarding ICTs and the promotion of gender equality in the workplace to enhance organisational performance. Organisations need to view ICTs as an integral part of business and enhance its use to promote gender equality.

This study examines women's experiences of their career process as well as the importance of the network in order to reach high management positions within the Swedish business sector. Empirical data were collected from seven female managers, belonging to some of the largest corporations in Sweden. Data were conducted through a qualitative interview method and have been processed by the thematic analysis method. The theoretical framework that underlies the analysis of the collected material is the Careership theory, designed by Phil Hodkinson and Andrew C Sparkes. As an analysis tool, we have also used the term glass ceiling to provide an explanation for the reasons behind some of the barriers women may face in their career process. The study's results show how self-esteem in the form of courage, freedom, and motivation becomes an essential part of women's opportunity to pursue a career at the highest level. That being said, social capital in the form of family and networks in various forms has also proven to be of great importance for the women's opportunity to reach high positions within the Swedish business sector. In order to understand women's career development and career opportunities, horizons for action and networks such as social capital should be taken into account.

This study sought to examine the perception of gender equality from the viewpoint of women administrators at Florida public and private two- and four-year institutions. Potential respondents were chosen from American College Personnel Association and/or National Association of Student Personnel Administrators databases. The data used for this study were obtained from 32 female administrators (50% response rate) who completed a self-administered online questionnaire, distributed to potential respondents in August and September, 2007. Collected data were entered into an SPSS database. Through data analysis, confidence intervals were reported for each survey item. Comparable means were studied for each of the six independent variables used in the survey. A broad array of gender equality information was disclosed in the data and literature. This information provided a basis for further research topics on perception on gender equality in higher education administration.

The purpose of this study is to fill the gap identified in how women perceive their opportunities to advance in their careers as auditors in San José, Costa Rica. This study also seeks to get answers to what it is like to work as a woman in a male-dominated industry in the chosen country. Design/methodology/approach: This essay has been carried out using an abductive research approach. Three research questions have thereby been answered with the support of 11 semi- structured interviews with women in roles as auditors at various independent audit firms in San José, Costa Rica. 10 of the interviews were held at the respondent’s respective office and one of the interviews were held digitally. Findings: The study has resulted in women working as auditors in San José, Costa Rica, experiencing discrimination in the workplace. Various factors that underlie discrimination have been identified and these factors include culture and how the men see themselves in their professional role. A factor that has also been shown to have a large and almost decisive influence on the degree of discrimination and the opportunities for women to climb in their careers is the size of the audit firm. The bigger the audit firm, the more discrimination the women experience and the worse opportunities to climb in their career. Research implications: The leading implications are that women's opportunities to advance in their careers and be able to feel secure in their work as auditors in San José, Costa Rica, must be given further attention and be investigated further. This is because the situation that exists today is not sustainable and in order to develop the industry and to even out the skewness that exists between the genders in the country, this problem must be taken care of. This study can contribute as a basis for future research in the field to further investigate the factors that are causal factors for the reality for women in the industry that the study identified. Originality/value: This essay studies the topic of women's opportunities in the audit industry in Costa Rica, which has not been previously explored. Through unfiltered collected data from first-hand sources, the results generated are of high value and could be a good basis for future research within the area.

This study aims to explore strengths and challenges in an all-female executive team. The subject of female executive teams is relatively unexplored, why the study contributes with a new perspective on the dynamics and processes occurring in an all-female executive team. 45-minute interviews were conducted with each member of the group, which consists of five women between the age of 50 and 61. Together they constitute an executive team in a Swedish organization. A thematic analysis was conducted and four themes were identified, as follows: openness, respect, inefficient processes and homogeneity. In general, the group is perceived to be well-functioning, and they consistently emphasize positive qualities within their group. Among other things, they talk about an open climate, absence of prestige and express care for each other. To some extent, the group is homogeneous. This makes them at risk of groupthink and missing perspectives, although there is no indication in the interviews that this is occurring. They do however express a lack of time and strategic work, deficiencies in structure and to some extent a too large need for control. The study’s findings are discussed in relation to previous research on power structures, gender studies and group development. At last, suggestions are given for further studies to explore whether it is the gender composition or the women's personalities that make the group so well-functioning.

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