Coping With the Corporate Tribe: How Women in Different Cultures Experience the Managerial Role

Abstract

This article explores the ways in which women perceive, experience, and cope with the initiation rites of the corporate tribe (gaining entry, establishing credibility, and managing gender identity). The analysis is based on intensive interviews with managerial women (46 professionals and 21 self-made women) employed in a variety of industries in France and Canada. The rites these women experience transcend cultural boundaries and national frontiers. They are encountered by both professionals and self-made women, although some differences between the two groups are found. The analysis describes the process of incorporating women into management and brings to light problems for women and dilemmas for organizations. Individual coping strategies and suggestions for organizational change are discussed.

International business careers in the United States: salaries, advancement and male—female differences

“…8. However, when a woman represents a firm, 'outsiders' such as customers may initially question her competence and authority (Symons, 1986). Thus, women managers and professionals who have proven their worth and been accepted within their own firm are often, in effect, asked to re-prove themselves by foreign clients.…”

Another ‘Glass Ceiling’?: The Experiences of Women Professionals and Managers on International Assignments

“…And, in recent years, increasing numbers of young women have entered full-time professional career streams in management and, as a result, many more are now seeking opportunities for international careers. While a few researchers have looked specifically at women on IAs (Adler 1984a(Adler , 1984b(Adler , 1986(Adler -87 and 1994Adler and Israeli 1987;Chusmir and Frontzack 1990; Harris and Harris 1988;Harris 1995;Kirk and Maddox 1988;Schein et al 1996;Symons 1984;Thal and Cateora 1979;Westwood and Leung 1994), these are very much the exception. Very few books on women's careers or on the role of women in organizations make any references to this international dimension (see, for example, Cooper and Davidson 1982; through to White, Cox andCooper 1992 to Wilson 1995).…”

Devenir cadre : les cheminements de carrière de diplômées en administration

“…Les mentors sont moins disponibles pour les femmes ou alors cette relation est plus difficile à gérer pour elles dans un contexte sexiste (Kram 1985), ce qui les prive d'un soutien important pour leur avancement. Enfin, la culture organisationnelle, essentiellement masculine, impose aux femmes de fournir des preuves de leur aptitude à rejoindre les rangs de la gestion, non seulement au moment de leur entrée dans la « tribu corporative » mais tout au long de leur cheminement dans ces organisations (Symons 1986). …”