Analysis of Billing's Article, Are Women in Management Victims of the Phantom of the Male Norm?

Introduction

This research paper will discuss a paper published in volume 18 of Gender, Work and Organization (ISSN 0968-6673), in the Human Resource Management and Employment Studies field, titled “Are Women in Management Victims of the Phantom of the Male Norm?” (Billing 2011). Yvonne Due Billing is an Associate Professor working at the Department of Sociology in the University of Copenhagen. She has more than 60 published research contributions to book/anthology/report, working papers and contribution to conferences (University of Copenhagen 2011).

I will first discuss the general approach and rationale. This includes the research question; the research topic, its assumptions and hypothesis; and the research philosophy. Although this research paper could be evaluated in a number of ways and from different angles, I will focus upon the data collection methods. Starting with the literature review (secondary data collection), primary citations / sources, up to the usage of theoretical concepts inherited from the literature. Thereafter the primary data collection method will be assessed. Finally, some conclusions and recommendations will be offered.

General approach and rationale

Women in managerial roles has been a topic of debate for many decades. The advancement of women into position of power and influence in organisations has seen a steady rise, contributing to the equality of opportunity, in the last years (ILO 2004). However, the management gender commonplace is still considered to be a barrier. Indeed, in a worldwide overview of women in management, Berthoin and Izraeli (2002), reckon that the most important obstacle faced by female managers in industrialized nations is the stereotype that links management ...

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ILO (2004) Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Women in Management, Update, 2004, International Labour Organization, Geneva.

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