Climbing the Corporate Ladder:

The Perception of Women in

Business

Anika Huang
2019 March 25

GT Independent Research
Ms. Julia Bakhru
Abstract

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Introduction

Perceptions were developed to decide who to trust in order to ensure the greatest

possibility of survival​.​ However​,​ in the current environment​,​ perceptions may tend to do more

harm than good​,​ especially in a corporate setting​.​ One area that is especially prone to perceptions

is gender​.​ This is due to the inherent societal views of masculinity versus femininity​.

Masculinity generally promotes an emotionally reserved​,​ stronger facade while femininity

encourages a more emotional and passive facade​.​ These stereotypes occur in multiple ways

across different aspects of life​,​ but are specifically prominent within the workplace​.​ In large

corporate businesses in America​,​ women find it more difficult to advance in corporate rank than

their male counterparts due to the perception that they are more emotional based decision

makers​.​ This paper will identify the perception that women are more emotional based decision

makers​,​ prove that due to this perception​,​ their decisions are further questioned​,​ and due to this​,

women find it more difficult to progress in the corporate hierarchy​.

Background

In most professions​,​ women and men have historically been treated differently​.​ From

gender stereotypes to the wage gap​,​ women in certain male dominated professions have always

been underestimated​.​ One of these professions is business management​.​ Multiple studies have

been done regarding the treatment of women in the workplace all resulting in the same mantra:

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the behavior is the same​,​ the treatment is what changes​.​ The studies found that women are held

to a double standard​.​ If they are assertive​,​ they are seen as too aggressive​; i​f they get angry​,​ they

are seen as too emotional​.​ Many employees make the assumption that their female bosses lead

with their emotions​,​ therefore causing their coworkers to question their decisions​.​ This

questioning might deter them from trusting and following the woman​’​s decisions​.​ When a

leader​’​s decisions are not followed​,​ they do not have results to show and it is harder for them to

advance within a business​.​ In this paper, important terminology will be perception​,​ the corporate

ladder​,​ and a large business corporation​.​ Perceptions are beliefs that are held by many people

based on how things may seem​.​ The corporate ladder is the employment hierarchy within a

business​.​ Finally for the purposes of this paper​,​ a large business corporation refers to a company

that dominates its industry and holds a large share of the market​.

Review of Literature

Among the assumptions about women​,​ a common one is the belief that women are more

emotional​.​ As a society​, ​women have always been encouraged to display emotions while men

have been encouraged to suppress them (Shields)​.​ Society has unofficially linked women with

emotions and​,​ in comparison to the lack thereof by men​,​ these emotions seem rather extreme​.

This leads to the perception that women are more emotional-based thinkers​.​ This perception

greatly affects the business field in particular​,​ especially employees​’​ assessments of the skills

and abilities of their female coworkers​. ​Women’s perceived emotionality is believed to make

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them more susceptible to stress and more likely to make erroneous decisions than men​,

especially when making larger decisions (Lally)​.​ Employees may believe that when given a

decision​,​ women​,​ due to their emotionality​,​ will rely on their intuition instead of hard facts and

make a decision that might not be the most beneficial for the company (Lally)​.​ In a survey done

of employees at a company​,​ a vast majority said that when given the choice​,​ they would rather

blindly place their faith in a male leader than a female leader (Eagly)​.​ While there may be other

biases and factors at play​,​ a significant one is the distrust of a female boss or leader​.

These perceptions​, ​however​,​ according to numerous studies​,​ are false​.​ In a sample of

thirty-two studies​,​ twelve of them found that women tended to make more logical decisions

while men became risk takers​,​ relying more on their instinct​.​ Each of these studies found that

when stress levels were high and women​’​s cortisol levels were raised​,​ they would analyze the

data​,​ calculate the risks​,​ and make an informed​,​ logical decision (Hudson)​.​ On the other hand​,

men​,​ when stress and cortisol levels were raised​,​ began to focus more on the reward​,​ no matter

how likely the outcome (Hudson)​.​ They chose to take greater risks in their decisions​,​ based more

on gut feelings than factual evidence and support​.​ The other twenty studies found no difference

in the gender​’​s decision making strategies and abilities (Hudson)​.​ However​,​ regardless of the

data​,​ the false perceptions of employees greatly impact the careers of many women​.

One of the effects of the perception of emotionality is that women are believed to be

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incapable in many capacities​,​ even within their own business (Lerner)​.​ Numerous women have

faced the difficulties that come with these biases​.​ One employee at a large investment firm

noticed that different materials were provided to women versus men​,​ and within the workplace​,

there was a lack of support for women whereas there was an abundance for men​.​ At the firm​,

male employees would often steal the female employees​’​ clients and resources (Castillo)​.

Another employee at a different large company also faced a similar situation in which she faced

the doubt of her superiors at her abilities​.​ She was passed over for a large promotion in favor of

someone who had not worked at the company before and was significantly less qualified than

herself (Casella)​.​ It is also possible that many women may not even understand that these

perceptions exist and that its effects occur​.​ The views are heavily ingrained within society and

businesses that oftentimes it can feel almost normal to be treated in such a manner​.

The bias of emotional decision making is one that greatly affects a woman​’​s chances of

respect within a workplace​,​ especially regarding those already in leadership positions and those

being looked at for promotions​.​ When surveyed​,​ it was found that women faced more

microaggressions within their career than their male counterparts​.​ These microaggressions

include further questioning​,​ needing to prove their skills further than others do​,​ and being

mistakenly identified as someone in a lower position​.​ In some instances​,​ almost double the

amount of women than men faced these microaggressions (Krivkovich)​.​ These microaggressions

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build up​.​ Every question and unnecessary step to prove themselves requires a response which

that specific female employee must provide if she would would like to progress up the corporate

ladder​, ​therefore demanding that more time to be required in order for results to be shown

(Brown)​.​ In comparison to a male employee in the same situation without the further

questioning​,​ the results of one will outshine the results of the other​,​ leading to an increased

likelihood that the male employee will receive the promotion​.

This process and pattern continues along the company hierarchy​.​ An annual study of over

thirteen million employees done by McKinsey & Company showed that for every 100 men that

are promoted​,​ only 79 women are promoted (Krivkovich)​.​ While this gap does not seem like

much​,​ it adds up​.​ This process continues on higher and higher through the corporate ladder until

there are little to no female contenders remaining because they have all been phased out in the

lower levels of management​.​ Even when a woman does manage to achieve the higher managerial

positions​,​ she often faces extreme scrutiny and a loss of respect from her fellow coworkers​.

Studies show that while the rate of likeability to position increases for men​,​ it decreases for

women (Catalyst)​.​ With less likelihood of receiving the promotion and less reward if it is

achieved​,​ women may be daunted by the high degree of difficulty that occurs when attempting to

pursue a higher position​.

The perceptions and biases within the workforce have lead to surprising numbers about

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the data on women in high level leadership positions​.​ On average female chief executive officers

are four years older than male chief executive officers and worked in more functions​,​ companies​,

and roles (Stevenson)​.​ Data collected from 279 companies showed that women were a minority​,

even in lower levels of management​,​ but especially higher up the corporate ladder​.​ Women​,

while accounting for 48% of low level managerial positions​,​ accounted for only 23% of C-Level

Executives (Chief Executive Officer​,​ Chief Financial Officer​,​ Chief Operating Officer​,​ etc​.​)​,​ the

highest positions in a business (Krivkovich)​.​ This pattern especially occurs in larger businesses

such as those on the Fortune 500 List​.​ ​Women make up less than five percent of fortune 500

chief executive officers (DeCarlo)​.​ On the other hand​,​ a whopping 85% of corporate boards are

white males (Ohio University)​.​ These statistics offer proof that there is an astoundingly low

number of women in high managerial positions​.​ While there may be other factors that could be

included in this analysis aside from decision making perceptions​,​ the data undeniably shows a

low percentage of women on corporate boards across America​.

Women​,​ when faced with microaggressions and unfavorable odds might feel discouraged

in their pursuit of a higher position​.​ This could lead to multiple possibilities​.​ One possibility is

that they leave their current workplace for one that provides a more equal opportunity for them

(Krivkovich)​.​ However​,​ this requires them to start over from the beginning requiring more time

to receive the promotion​.​ Another possibility is that they remain in the workplace but choose not

to pursue a higher position​.​ This choice greatly affects the percentage of women who are in

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higher managerial positions​.​ If they do not apply for these positions​,​ there is no possibility that

they will receive them​.​ The final possibility is that they remain in the workplace and oppose the

inherent biases and perceptions that affect them​.​ In this situation​,​ it takes longer for them to

obtain the higher level managerial positions because of the prolonged time periods between

promotions due to the perceptions that the employees hold (Stevenson)​.

Conclusion

The perception of decision making is just one obstacle that obstructs the path to success

for women in business; there are many others​.​ While there have been strides towards equality in

the workplace​,​ there is still work to be done to fully ensure that every workplace is just and

equitable​.​ How is this possible? Society instills perceptions and biases in the subconscious from

a young age​.​ To combat these​,​ thought must be put into every action and decision that one makes

regarding a promotion or hire​.​ Opposing these perceptions is not about giving women an

advantage over men but rather leveling the playing field so that there is an equal opportunity for

both parties​.​ Regardless of gender​,​ position​,​ or industry​,​ there is a part for everyone to play in

advocating and preventing against any such perceptions that could impact anyones​’​ right to be

given an equitable opportunity​.​ False perceptions and biases negatively affect the future of the

business world​.​ For the brightest future​,​ it is vital that every party is given a fair chance​.​ As

Supreme Court justice Louis Brandeis once said​,​ “​Democracy rests upon two pillars: one​,​ the

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principle that all men are equally entitled to life​,​ liberty and the pursuit of happiness; and the

other​,​ the conviction that such equal opportunity will most advance civilization​.​”

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2018, www.pewsocialtrends.org/fact-sheet/the-data-on-women-leaders/.

“Catalyst Study Exposes How Gender-Based Stereotyping Sabotages Women in the

Workplace.” ​Catalyst,​ www.catalyst.org/media. Accessed 6 Feb. 2019.

Casella, Karen. E-mail interview. By Anika Huang. 2 Jan. 2019.

Castillo, Monique. E-mail interview. By Anika Huang. 30 Oct. 2018.

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link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-0-387-30715-2_4. Accessed 5 Jan. 2019.

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