Glass Ceiling or Choice? (1)

Organisations are increasingly being criticised for failing to promote women to senior positions and there are two contrasting explanations for this disparity. On the one hand, “the glass ceiling” of organisational and societal factors is blamed for the discrepancy. On the other hand, it is argued that the disparity is due to the strategies women adopt and the choices they make to manage their out of work commitments and lifestyle. The inter-relationship between these two views was recently examined in the context of the accountancy profession in the ICAS Foundation-funded study “Diversity: Exploring Gender Disparity at Partnership level.” The research will form the basis for this panel event. However, as Professor Elizabeth Gammie will explain, the findings and recommendations have cross discipline and industry relevance and application, and are particularly pertinent to the oil and gas industry.