The Corporate Glass Ceiling

AbstractThe case deals with the concept of ‘glass ceiling’

which prevents women from reaching top management positions in the corporate world. It explains the concept in detail and examines the

various reasons that prevent women from reaching the top management. The case gives several examples of women who have reached

top management positions in the US and in India.

IssuesCircumstances or factors that have brought corporate glass

ceiling into existence.

Questions for Discussion

1. Explain the concept of corporate glass ceiling. What do you think are the various factors that prevent women

from rising through the ranks in corporates around the

world?

The Concept of Corporate Glass Ceiling

According to the US Department of Labor, a ‘glass ceiling’ is “an

artificial barrier based on attitudinal or organizational bias that prevents

qualified women and other minorities from advancing upward

in their organization into senior management level positions”

This situation is referred to as a "ceiling" as there is a limitation blocking upward advancement,

and "glass" (transparent) because the limitation is not immediately apparent and is normally an unwritten and

unofficial policy.

 This invisible barrier continues to exist, even though there are no explicit obstacles keeping women from

acquiring advanced job positions – there are no advertisements that

specifically say “no women hired at this establishment”, nor are there any formal orders that say “women are not qualified” – but they do lie beneath

the surface.

This barrier makes many women feel as they are not

worthy enough to have these high-ranking positions, but also

they feel as if their bosses do not take them seriously or

actually see them as potential candidates.

Various Factors that prevent women from

rising through the ranks in corporates

around the world

1. Family Responsibilities

2. Male Chauvinism

3. Attitude towards women

3. Attitude towards women

4. The disadvantages of being a woman in the business world

5. Paid less than men of equal ability.

6. Sex Discrimination

7. Signs of Racism.

8. Job Segregation.

Job Segregation is the concentration of women and

men in different types and levels of activity and employment,

with women being confined to a narrow range of occupations than men, and to the lower

grades of work.

2. For every Fiorina who claims the glass ceiling has been shattered, there are hundreds of thousands of working women who know it remains firmly in place.” Critically analyze the

statement and justify your answer.

That's a difficult question because I think in certain

organizations it really depends on the people you work with.

People who do your assessment and reward you with the kind of increment: if you are doing it on

merit then it's ok.

Just because a handful of corporate women

have made it to the top doesn’t mean the battle for equal opportunity is

over .

3. Though the debate on glass ceiling continues, some obstacles did prevent women from reaching

top management positions. How do you think these obstacles can be

overcome by women, particularly in developing countries like India?

Explain.

I think that passion, dedication and having

an attitude of a karmayogi are what

make a successful career woman.

Young women should believe in themselves; listen to your inner voice --

there are enough people around who may either want to distract you or put

you down. But the biggest voice which may want to pull you down is you yourself. If you won't believe in

yourself you won't get anywhere. But if you truly feel passionately about

something then don't give up on it.

Don't do it in a dilettante fashion -- that you want to do this today and forget about it tomorrow and a day after that take on something else.

Search within yourself what is the right thing to do and importantly don't give up on that even if you

have to face numerous difficulties.

I think in India you will find a lot of women accepted in lower and

middle management role. However, if you go up the triangle

you will find that there are not many women there. There is a glass ceiling and many women have

experienced it.

To overcome such difficulties women have to be dogged and

dedicated. Women need to demand their rights if they

think they deserve it at their workplace. However, it's not

always easy.

Of course, there will always be male voices that will try to put women

down. Not to mention cultural conditioning which tells a woman

that she must always be second to a man. Then even if a woman has leadership qualities she may not

actually take the lead.

What often happens in a woman's career path is that around the time they get married and have a child they have to drop out of the treadmill a bit. I think

that is really one big reason why companies tend to have more men in

their workforce. That's the way businesses have been structured for the male gender and not the female

gender.

There are no real allowances made for these situations. However, if the men also have to take time off for such reasons then I think times

will change. If the man also has to go home and look after a child as

the woman, then there surely will be a change. However, the culture

doesn't expect that of a man.

I think if women are dogged, dedicated and disciplined the skew in men-women ratio in

favour of the former will definitely change.

At the end of the day this will be so much in the woman's hand

and not in the man's hand.

I think the most amazing opportunity for India is that we are at a vantage point where, in some ways, we know what our future is in terms of economic

growth. We also know very much that the trajectory is like a

western economical model.

Specifically to women, I think women are great carriers of value systems. It comes to them very naturally and I think women could play a key

role if they expand their role beyond traditional ones like child-rearing, being a home caring

person which is not to say that they have to be in a professional role. They need not be; but if their vision is expanded -- no matter what

role they choose for themselves -- they will be great influence in shaping tomorrow's world

and vision.

Women are the one who nurture the next generation, isn't it? In

whatever role they chose to be as a home maker, a

professional, if their vision is broader, their insights are

deep then I think women can do a great job.

Presented By07. Anu Adhana08. Anuj Angirish09. Anupam Prashant Mujumdar10. Anurag Aggarwal11. Arpit Jain