Gender and the Federal Senior Executive Service: Where is the Glass Ceiling?

Abstract

Approximately half of federal civil servants are female but only 13 percent of federal executives are. This analysis of data from a random sample of federal Senior Executive Service (SES) members seeks to explain the disparity and to develop strategies for facilitating women's upward mobility. The author analyzes variables which were analyzed in prior studies of executives in state government and concludes that the glass ceiling is not universal. Unlike studies of executives in state government, federal civil service procedures affected the career advancement of males and females similarly. Like studies of executives in state government, there are many similarities between the male and female SES members' knowledge, abilities, skills, and leadership styles suggesting that those who were dissimilar were barred from executive ranks.

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