Going Up? Do Traits and Informal Social Processes Predict Advancing in Management?

Abstract

In this study, I aimed to assess if traits and interpersonal support helped explain advancing in management from entry level to upper management, including gender differences in the links of interpersonal support. After human capital and promotion opportunities, managerial aspirations and masculinity were the strongest predictors of advancing in management. Male hierarchies predicted women’s advancing less than men into lower and middle management, and career encouragement predicted women’s advancing more to upper management, both as compared to declining to lower levels than men.