Glass Ceiling

Breaking the Ceiling

ntroduction

The Gender Earnings Ratio, 1955-2010, Full-Time Workers

(Institute For Women Policy Research, 2010)

Most women and minorities will never be able to shatter the glass ceiling because corporate America is male dominated.   Some women have made progress; however, few have made it to the top of the corporate ladder. What exactly is the "glass ceiling" and what impact does it have on the workforce and society?

The term "glass ceiling" appeared for the first time in the March 24, 1986 edition of the Wall Street Journal report on corporate women written by Hymowitz and Schellhardt. (Baker, 2001) Primarily, the glass ceiling referred to barriers and obstacles encountered by women while on a career path of advancing to senior management positions. However, presently the term has expanded its meaning and is also related to minorities, men and women, who are not promoted or fairly compensated because of their race. It is this invisible gender barrier that keeps women and minorities at the bottom of the occupational hierarchy and prevents them from earning promotions to positions of power has long time been known as the Glass Ceiling.

Women and minorities have made remarkable gains in the past thirty years in the areas of employment.   However there is still a significant difference between the numbers of women and minorities working in upper management positions.   Statistics estimates that women only represent 2.4% of fortune 500 companies upper management positions, and only account for 1.9% of the highest paid officers and directors.   Statistics show that 97% of senior level positions are held by men, and 94% of those positions are white males.   The remaining 3% are women of which 1.5% are minorities.   (The Glass Ceiling for African…). These numbers indicate that women and minorities are underrepresented at all levels of management.

Problem

The glass ceiling is a barrier so subtle that it is transparent, yet so...