Career progression in a Fortune 500 company: examination of the “glass ceiling”

This study examines the relationships of gender and race with the career progress of 2508 employees in the technical division of a Fortune 500 company: 1354 employees with bachelor´s degrees (Level One) and 1154 employees with master´s degrees (Level Two) in engineering and computer science. Using company records to measure employee promotions and controlling for level of education, female and nonwhite employees received fewer promotions than males or whites. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses found that gender differences in promotions could be explained by work-related variables, primarily organizational tenure. However, race added significant predictive ability for Level One (not Level Two) employees´ current job level after controlling for work experience, tenure, job performance, and gender. Unexpectedly, marital status predicted the current job level for Level Two employees, with single employees receiving fewer promotions than married employees. These findings are discussed in light of theory and research