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Breaking Silence: Tactical Choices Women Managers Make in Speaking Up About Gender‐Equity Issues

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  • Sandy Kristin Piderit
  • Susan J. Ashford

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study examines female managers’ assessments of how to speak up about the treatment of women in their organizations. Qualitative data from 172 women provide an in‐depth look at their theories about the right way to sell this issue. In addition, inductive exploration of the tactics chosen by 985 other women to address gender‐equity concerns yields four clusters of issue‐selling tactics for this issue. We draw from these two complementary analyses to suggest implications for the future study and practice of issue selling, and for shaping organizational cultures to support gender equity.

Suggested Citation

  • Sandy Kristin Piderit & Susan J. Ashford, 2003. "Breaking Silence: Tactical Choices Women Managers Make in Speaking Up About Gender‐Equity Issues," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(6), pages 1477-1502, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:40:y:2003:i:6:p:1477-1502
    DOI: 10.1111/1467-6486.00388
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    1. Kathleen Cannings & Claude Montmarquette, 1991. "Managerial Momentum: A Simultaneous Model of the Career Progress of Male and Female Managers," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 44(2), pages 212-228, January.
    2. Jane E. Dutton & Susan J. Ashford & Katherine A. Lawrence & Kathi Miner-Rubino, 2002. "Red Light, Green Light: Making Sense of the Organizational Context for Issue Selling," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 13(4), pages 355-369, August.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Elisa Alt & Justin B. Craig, 2016. "Selling Issues with Solutions: Igniting Social Intrapreneurship in for-Profit Organizations," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(5), pages 794-820, July.
    3. Lotfi Dehkharghani, Leila & Paul, Justin & Maharati, Yaghoob & Menzies, Jane, 2023. "Employee silence in an organizational context: A review and research agenda," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 41(6), pages 1072-1085.
    4. Moczulska Marta & Winkler Renata, 2018. "The “Burden” of Knowledge: Unwanted Knowledge in Management – The Perspective of Individual and Organizational Level," Management Sciences. Nauki o Zarządzaniu, Sciendo, vol. 23(1), pages 37-44, March.
    5. Eddy S. Ng & Greg J. Sears, 2020. "Walking the Talk on Diversity: CEO Beliefs, Moral Values, and the Implementation of Workplace Diversity Practices," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 164(3), pages 437-450, July.
    6. Yuliya Shymko & Natalia Vershinina & Maria Daskalaki & Guilherme Azevedo & Camilla Quental, 2024. "From the cocoon to la chape de plomb: The birth and persistence of silence around sexism in academia," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 2113-2137, September.
    7. Parke, Michael R. & Tangirala, Subrahmaniam & Sanaria, Apurva & Ekkirala, Srinivas, 2022. "How strategic silence enables employee voice to be valued and rewarded," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    8. Steele, Clarissa R. & Berns, John P. & Schnatterly, Karen A., 2024. "Gender discrimination lawsuits: How board gender diversity impacts gender litigation likelihood and outcomes," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    9. Jimmy Donaghey & Niall Cullinane & Tony Dundon & Adrian Wilkinson, 2011. "Reconceptualising employee silence," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 25(1), pages 51-67, March.
    10. van den Oever, Koen, 2017. "Uncharted waters : A behavioral approach to when, why and which organizational changes are adopted," Other publications TiSEM 0136c8c2-ecdd-4f82-8ca7-d, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    11. Yuliya Shymko & Natalia Vershinina & Maria Daskalaki & Guilherme Azevedo & Camilla Quental, 2024. "From the cocoon to la chape de plomb: The birth and persistence of silence around sexism in academia," Post-Print hal-04680678, HAL.
    12. Sperber, Sonja & Täuber, Susanne & Post, Corinne & Barzantny, Cordula, 2023. "Gender Data Gap and its impact on management science — Reflections from a European perspective," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 2-8.

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