Glass Ceiling

The term glass ceiling refers to situations where the advancement of a qualified person within the hierarchy of an organization is stopped at a lower level because of some form of discrimination, most commonly sexism or racism. Ceiling is the limitations blocking upward advancement and Glass means transparent because the limitation is not immediately apparent and is normally an unwritten and unofficial policy. These invisible barriers still exist, even though there are no stated obstacles keeping minorities from acquiring advanced positions.

The glass ceiling tends to affect working women the most. It's the barrier that prevents large numbers of women, ethnic minorities, and sexual minorities from obtaining and securing the most powerful, prestigious, and highest-grossing jobs in the workforce. This barrier makes many women feel as if 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.

Phase 1 – The Research Question

In Phase 1, we were asked to generate at least 3 research questions that will identify a problem in Corporations today. After we identify the 3 questions, then we are to choose 1 of those problems that we feel we can produce a report. My three research questions come from the topic ‘Women in Organizations and the Glass Ceiling'. The 3 questions I have chosen are as follows:

1. Have Women Shattered the Corporate Glass Ceiling?

2. Are Mom's more likely to become CEO more often than Women that are not?

3. Are Women more effective Leaders?

Of these 3 questions, I have chosen to report on question 1 ‘Have Women shattered the Corporate Glass Ceiling?'

Phase 2 – Research – Secondary Data

Have Women shattered the corporate glass ceiling? My personal opinion is ‘No'. The glass ceiling remains. Among Fortune 500 companies, women occupy 15% of board seats and only 3% of them are CEOs. Studies show that women and minorities encounter considerable glass ceiling barriers. The term has been around for generations but has been used more frequently because Senator Hillary Clinton used the term glass ceiling in her concession speech as she withdrew from the 2008 Democratic primary. "Although we weren't able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it's got about 18 million cracks in it. And the light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a little easier next time. That has always been the history of progress in America." (Clinton; 2008)

In organizations across American, there are many types of glass ceiling barriers.