Cross, C,Linehan, M,Murphy, C

2017

January

Personnel Review

The unintended consequences of role-modelling behaviour in female career progression

Published

()

Gender Ireland Qualitative Role models Middle-level managers Organizational culture WOMEN ASPIRATIONS LEADERSHIP STUDENTS SUCCESS GENDER MIDDLE WORK STEM

46

86

99

Purpose - Much of the literature identifies the positive nature of role models in career progression. The purpose of this paper is to take the contrary perspective and explore whether role-modelling behaviour of senior female managers can be unintentionally interpreted as negative, with an associated negative impact on career progression decisions of female managers.Design/methodology/approach - To address this issue the authors took a grounded theory approach and 30 in-depth interviews were conducted with female middle-level managers in a wide range of Irish organisations.Findings - The results of the interviews illustrate that role-modelling behaviour has the potential to negatively, rather than positively affect female career progression choices.Practical implications - The unintended consequences of role-modelling behaviour of senior female managers highlights both the concept of negative role-modelling behaviour and identifies its impact on female managerial career progression.Originality/value - This paper offers new insights into the construction of the global role model by introducing two new elements - the realistic role model and the departed role model.

10.1108/PR-06-2015-0177