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Male Hierarchies and Gender-balanced Boards

Author

Listed:
  • Gabriella Ã…hmansson

    (Gabriella Åhmansson is at the Department of Humanities and Social Science, University of Gävle, SE-801 76 Gävle, Sweden, gan@hig.se)

  • Lennart S. Öhlund

    (Lennart S. Öhlund is at the Department of Education and Psychology, University of Gävle, SE-801 76 Gävle, Sweden. lod@hig.se)

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to examine whether the established fact that men by far outnumber women in leading positions is an inherent unintentional characteristic of a hierarchy where appointments happen one by one on an individual basis, as opposed to boards where the members are appointed as a group. The sample consists of those appointed to the hierarchies as well as the boards of 36 state universities in Sweden. The main finding is that significantly more men are appointed in hierarchies than to group-composed boards. When the gendered distribution of those in leading positions becomes fully apparent, the last and final position in the hierarchy is significantly more often given to a woman. However, these women are much older than their male counterparts, a fact that makes it harder for them to reach the final step of the ladder. The article concludes with a discussion of whether the higher probability of appointing a woman as vice-president when both chair and president are men is a fair acknowledgement of an unfair gender distribution, or if there are other possible explanations.

Suggested Citation

  • Gabriella Ã…hmansson & Lennart S. Öhlund, 2008. "Male Hierarchies and Gender-balanced Boards," Indian Journal of Gender Studies, Centre for Women's Development Studies, vol. 15(3), pages 485-505, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:indgen:v:15:y:2008:i:3:p:485-505
    DOI: 10.1177/097152150801500303
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tang, Joyce, 1997. "The glass ceiling in science and engineering," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 383-406.
    2. Mohammed Amidu & Joshua Abor, 2006. "Gender and the Composition of Corporate Boards," Indian Journal of Gender Studies, Centre for Women's Development Studies, vol. 13(1), pages 83-95, February.
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