Gender Promotion Gaps: Career Aspirations and Workplace Discrimination

Ghazala Azmat, Vicente Cuñat and Emeric Henry

No 12902, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: Using a nationally representative longitudinal survey of lawyers in the U.S., we document a sizeable gap between men and women in their early aspirations to become law firm partners, despite similar early investments and educational characteristics. This aspiration gap can explain a large part of the gender promotion gap that is observed later. We propose a model to understand the role of aspirations and then empirically test its predictions. We show that aspirations create incentives to exert effort and are correlated with expectations of success and the preference for becoming a partner. We further show that aspirations are affected by early work experiences – facing harassment or demeaning comments early in the career affects long-term promotion outcomes mediated via aspirations. Our research highlights the importance of accounting for, and managing, career aspirations as an early intervention to close gender career gaps.

Keywords: promotion; aspirations; gender gaps (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J16 J44 K40 M51 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 54 pages
Date: 2020-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hrm, nep-lab and nep-law
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Gender Promotion Gaps: Career Aspirations and Workplace Discrimination (2020)
Working Paper: Gender Promotion Gaps: Career Aspirations and Workplace Discrimination (2020)
Working Paper: Gender Promotion Gaps: Career Aspirations and Workplace Discrimination (2020)
Working Paper: Gender Promotion Gaps: Career Aspirations and Workplace Discrimination (2020)
Working Paper: Gender Promotion Gaps: Career Aspirations and Workplace Discrimination (2020)
Working Paper: Gender Promotion Gaps: Career Aspirations and Workplace Discrimination (2020)
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