This research reviews, contrasts, and critiques two articles reporting the results of empirical research investigating the phenomenon of the so-called "glass ceiling" that is assumed to impede the advancement of women to top-level management positions within American organizations. The following section of this research is devoted to reviews of the two articles. Following these article reviews, the two articles are compared, and following the comparison the two articles are critiqued.
Each of the articles is reviewed separately. The elements of the review framework are research problem identification, the organizational problem to which the investigation is related, literature review, a description and explanation of the data examined, study findings, and research conclusions drawn.
Powell and Butterfield (1994, pp. 68-86) investigated the "glass ceiling" phenomenon in relation to the actual promotions of women to top-management positions in American organizations. The major organizational problem to which this investigation was related is the issue of gender equity in human resource management.
The authors reviewed the progress made by women in American organizations during the 1970-1992 period. The literature, as reported in the article indicated that, while women had made significant progress in the context of being promoted to and hired for managerial positions in American organizations, comparatively little headway was made with respect to the promotion of women to top-management positions in American organizations. The literature reviewed in the article also explored the concept of the "glass ceiling," together with the support for using this phenomenon as an explanation for low numbers of women found at the level of top-management in American organizations. The authors indicated that one important area that was underrepresented in the literature was the decision-making processes in American organizations that a...