Moving into Management: Gender Segregation and its Effect on Managerial Attainment

Abstract

Steady progress has been achieved with implementing legislated public sector EEO policies and programs to fulfil the aim of increasing the representation of EEO groups in public employment (Boston, Martin, Pallot and Walsh, 1996). However, despite the employment gains delivered through equity legislation and policies, there remain areas of significant gender differences in the public sector labour market. One of the most persistent problems confronting all labour markets has been segregation by gender and this characteristic employment pattern can be discerned across industry, occupation, firm and type of employment contract (Rubery and Fagan, 1995). This research compares and contrasts the effect of gender domination on the gender composition of tiers of management and numbers of Senior Executive Service (SES) across a state government public service in Australia. In this way, the career progression of males and females in female dominated and male dominated agencies can be examined to determine whether different career outcomes can be discerned under conditions of significantly greater numbers of one gender being employed. Findings indicate that men in female dominated agencies have different employment profiles and career patterns to those of women in male dominated agencies.