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A Cultural Perspective of The Glass Cliff Phenomenon

Year 2019, Volume: 19 Issue: 3, 309 - 321, 30.07.2019
https://doi.org/10.21121/eab.451162

Abstract

The purpose of
this paper is to reveal whether the phenomenon of the glass cliff, a concept
related to gender discrimination, is valid in Turkey, where the level of
femininity is relatively high. While the sampling method used was convenience
sampling, the data collection tool was a questionnaire. The study was conducted
with 240 managers in the business world and the appointment to a glass cliff
position was assessed in terms of “suitability, leadership, and trust”
dimensions. The findings revealed that managers did not opt for a female
executive candidate as the CEO, using a scenario in which the “company performance
is poor.” Accordingly, in consideration of contextual fundamentals, it can be
suggested that the concept of the glass cliff, a term coined by psychologists
Ryan and Haslam in the United Kingdom, where masculinity is predominant, may
not be valid for Turkey, where the level of masculinity is relatively low. 

References

  • Adams, S.M., Gupta, A. and Leeth, J.D. (2009), “Are Female Executives Over-Represented in Precarious Leadership Positions?”, British Journal of Management, 20: 1-12.
  • Ak Kurt, D. (2011), “Glass Cliff in Relationship to Hostile and Benevolent Sexism”, The Degree of Master of Science in The Department of Psychology, Middle East Technical University, Ankara.
  • Alican, A. (2007), Kamu Memur Sendikalarında Çalışan Yönetici Kadınlar, SDÜ Yüksek Lisans Tezi, Isparta.
  • Ashby, J., Ryan, M.K. and Haslam, S.A. (2007),”Legal Work and The Glass Cliff:Evidence that Women Are Preferentially Selected to Lead Problematic Cases”,William & Mary Journal Women and The Law”, 13(3):775-793
  • Başak, S. (2013), Toplumsal Cinsiyet (Gender), Editörler: İ. Çapçıoğlu ve H. Beşirli, Sosyolojiye Giriş, Grafiker Yayınları, Ankara.
  • Broadbridge, A., and Simpson, R. (2011), 25 Years On: “Reflecting on the Past and Looking to Future in Gender and Management Research”, British Journal of Management, 22, 470-483.
  • Budig, M.J. (2002), “Male Advantage and the Gender Composition of Jobs: Who Rides the Glass Escalator”, Social Problems, 49(2):258-272.
  • Bruckmüller, S., and Branscombe, N.R. (2010), “The Glass Cliff: When and Why Women are Selected as Leader in Crisis Contexts”, British Journal of Psychology, 49(3):433-451.
  • Bruckmüller, S., Ryan, M.K., Rink, F. and Haslam, S.A. (2014), “Beyond The Glass Ceiling: The Glass Cliff and Its Lessons for Organizational Policy, Social Issue and Policy Review, 8(1):202-232.
  • Chambers, K. (2011), “The Glass Cliff: The Contribution of Social Identity and Gender Stereotypes in Preceding Leadership Preference and Trust”, Master of Art in Psychology, Carleton University, Canada.
  • Cook, A. and Glass, C. (2013), “Glass Cliff and Organizational Saviors: Barriers to Minority Leadership in Work Organizations?”, Society for the Study of Social Problems, 60(2):168-187.
  • Dzanic, L. (2009), “The Role of Women in Business: The Case of Bosnia and Herzegovina”, Diploma Thesis, University of Ljubljana Faculty of Economics, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  • Eagly, A.H. and Carli, L.L. (2007). “Through the Labyrinth: The Truth About How Women Become Leaders”, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1-5,[Erişim: 10.11.2015, https://www.google.com.tr].
  • Giddens, A. (2012), Sosyoloji, Çeviren: İsmail Yılmaz, Cinsellik ve Toplumsal Cinsiyet (12. bölüm), Kırmızı Yayınları, İstanbul.
  • Hair, J., Anderson, R. E., Tatham, R. L. and Black, W. C. (1995), Multivariate Data Analysis, 4th ed. Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
  • Haslam, S.A. and Ryan, M.K. (2008), “The Road to Glass Cliff: Differences in the Perceived Suitability of Men and Women for Leadership Positions in Succeedings and Failing Organizations”, Leadership Quarterly: 1-56.
  • Haslam, S.A, Ryan, M.K., Kulich, C., Trojanowski, G. and Atkins,C. (2010), “Investing with Prejudice: The Relationship Between Women’s Presence on Company Boards and Objective and Subjective Measures of Company Performance, British Journal of Management, 21 (2): 484-497.
  • Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., and Minkov, M. (2010), Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind, Third Edition, New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
  • http://www.ilo.org/ankara/conventions-ratified-by-turkey/WCMS_377248/lang--tr/index.htm, Access Date: 23.03.2016.
  • https://www.tbmm.gov.tr/anayasa/anayasa82.htm, Access Date: 15.05.2016
  • https://www.tbmm.gov.tr/kanunlar/k4857.html, Access Date: 15.05.2016
  • Hunt-Earle, K. (2012), Falling Over a Glass Cliff: a Study of the Recruitment of Women to LeadershipRoles in Troubled Enterprises, Global Business and Organizational Excellence, 31 (5): 44-53.
  • Judge, E. (2003), “Women on Board: Help or Hindrance?”, The Times, (www.thetimes.co.uk, Erişim Tarihi: 09.05.2016).
  • Kanter, R. M. (1977), “Some Effects of Proportions on Group Life: Skewed sex ratios and responses to token women”. American Journal of Sociology, 82: 965-990.
  • Kulich, C., Ryan, M.K. and Haslam, S.A. (2014), “The Political Glass Cliff: Understanding How Seat Selection Contributes to the Under Performance of Ethnic Minority Candidates”, Politics Research Quarterly, 67(1):84-95
  • Lamsa, A.M., Jyrkinen, M., and Heikkien, S. (2012), Women in Managerial Careers, Editor. Pucetaite, R. Cases in Organizational Ethics, Vilnius University Press, Lithuania: 4-16.
  • Mulcahy, M. and Linehan, C. (2014), “Females and Precarious Board Positions: Further Evidence of the Glass Cliff”, British Journal of Management, 25 (3): 425-438.
  • Nunnaly, J. C., (1978), Psychometric theory (2nd ed.). McGraw-Hill, New York.
  • Robbins, s.P., and Judge, T.A. (2013), Organizational Behavior (14th ed.). Pearson, New Jersey.
  • Ryan, M.K., and Haslam, S.A. (2005), “The Glass Cliff: Evidence that Women are Over-Represented in Precarious Leadership”, British Journal of Management, (16):81-90
  • Ryan, M. K., and Haslam, S. A., (2006), “The Glass Cliff: The Stress of Working on the Edge” European Business Forum, (27): 42-47.
  • Ryan, M.K., and Haslam, S.A. (2007), “The Glass Cliff: Exploring The Dynamics Surrounding The Appointment of Women to Precarious Leadership Positions”, Academy of Management Review, 32(2): 549-572.
  • Ryan, M.K., Haslam, S.A. and Postmes, T. (2007), “Reactions to Glass Cliff: Gender Differences in The Explanations for The Precariousness of Women’s Leadership Positions”, Journal of Organizational Change Management, 20(2): 182-197
  • Ryan, M.K. and Haslam, S.A. (2009), “Glass Cliffs Are Not So Easily Scaled: On The Precariousness of Female CEO’s Positions”, British Journal of Management, (20):13-16
  • Ryan, M.K., Haslam, S.A. and Kulich, C. (2010), “Politics and The Glass Cliff: Evidence that Women are Preferentially Selected to Contest Hard-to-Win Seats”, Psychology of Women Quarterly, 34(1):56-64
  • Ryan, M.K., Haslam, S.A., Hersby, M.T. and Bongiorno, R. (2011), “Think Crisis –Think Female: The Glass Cliff and Contextual Variation in The Manager –Think Male Stereotype”, Journal Of Applied Psychology, 96(3): 470-484.
  • Sabharwal, M. (2013), “From Glass Ceiling to Glass Cliff: Woman in Senior Executive Service”, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 25: 399-426.
  • Schein, V. E. (1973), “The Relationship Between Sex Role Stereotypes And Requisite Management Characteristics”, Journal of Applied Psychology, 57, pp. 95-100.
  • Schein, V. E. (1975), “The Relationship Between Sex Role Stereotypes And Requisite Management Characteristics Among Female Managers”, Journal of Applied Psychology, 60, pp. 340-344.
  • Sekaran, U. (1992), Research Methods for Business: A Skill Building Approach, Second Edition, John Wiley & Sons., New York.
  • Staines, G., Tavris, C. and Jayaratne, T. E. (1974), “The queen bee syndrome”. Psychology Today, 7(8): 55-60.
  • Uyar, E. (2011), “The Glass Cliff: Differences in Perceived Suitability and Leadership Ability of Men and Women for Leadership Positions in High and Poor Performing Companies”, The Degree of Master Business of Business Administration in The Department of Business Administration, Middle East Technical University, Ankara
  • Williams, C.L. (1992), “The Glass Escalator: Hidden Advantages for Men in the ‘Female’ Professions”, Social Problems, 39(3): 253-257.
Year 2019, Volume: 19 Issue: 3, 309 - 321, 30.07.2019
https://doi.org/10.21121/eab.451162

Abstract

References

  • Adams, S.M., Gupta, A. and Leeth, J.D. (2009), “Are Female Executives Over-Represented in Precarious Leadership Positions?”, British Journal of Management, 20: 1-12.
  • Ak Kurt, D. (2011), “Glass Cliff in Relationship to Hostile and Benevolent Sexism”, The Degree of Master of Science in The Department of Psychology, Middle East Technical University, Ankara.
  • Alican, A. (2007), Kamu Memur Sendikalarında Çalışan Yönetici Kadınlar, SDÜ Yüksek Lisans Tezi, Isparta.
  • Ashby, J., Ryan, M.K. and Haslam, S.A. (2007),”Legal Work and The Glass Cliff:Evidence that Women Are Preferentially Selected to Lead Problematic Cases”,William & Mary Journal Women and The Law”, 13(3):775-793
  • Başak, S. (2013), Toplumsal Cinsiyet (Gender), Editörler: İ. Çapçıoğlu ve H. Beşirli, Sosyolojiye Giriş, Grafiker Yayınları, Ankara.
  • Broadbridge, A., and Simpson, R. (2011), 25 Years On: “Reflecting on the Past and Looking to Future in Gender and Management Research”, British Journal of Management, 22, 470-483.
  • Budig, M.J. (2002), “Male Advantage and the Gender Composition of Jobs: Who Rides the Glass Escalator”, Social Problems, 49(2):258-272.
  • Bruckmüller, S., and Branscombe, N.R. (2010), “The Glass Cliff: When and Why Women are Selected as Leader in Crisis Contexts”, British Journal of Psychology, 49(3):433-451.
  • Bruckmüller, S., Ryan, M.K., Rink, F. and Haslam, S.A. (2014), “Beyond The Glass Ceiling: The Glass Cliff and Its Lessons for Organizational Policy, Social Issue and Policy Review, 8(1):202-232.
  • Chambers, K. (2011), “The Glass Cliff: The Contribution of Social Identity and Gender Stereotypes in Preceding Leadership Preference and Trust”, Master of Art in Psychology, Carleton University, Canada.
  • Cook, A. and Glass, C. (2013), “Glass Cliff and Organizational Saviors: Barriers to Minority Leadership in Work Organizations?”, Society for the Study of Social Problems, 60(2):168-187.
  • Dzanic, L. (2009), “The Role of Women in Business: The Case of Bosnia and Herzegovina”, Diploma Thesis, University of Ljubljana Faculty of Economics, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  • Eagly, A.H. and Carli, L.L. (2007). “Through the Labyrinth: The Truth About How Women Become Leaders”, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1-5,[Erişim: 10.11.2015, https://www.google.com.tr].
  • Giddens, A. (2012), Sosyoloji, Çeviren: İsmail Yılmaz, Cinsellik ve Toplumsal Cinsiyet (12. bölüm), Kırmızı Yayınları, İstanbul.
  • Hair, J., Anderson, R. E., Tatham, R. L. and Black, W. C. (1995), Multivariate Data Analysis, 4th ed. Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
  • Haslam, S.A. and Ryan, M.K. (2008), “The Road to Glass Cliff: Differences in the Perceived Suitability of Men and Women for Leadership Positions in Succeedings and Failing Organizations”, Leadership Quarterly: 1-56.
  • Haslam, S.A, Ryan, M.K., Kulich, C., Trojanowski, G. and Atkins,C. (2010), “Investing with Prejudice: The Relationship Between Women’s Presence on Company Boards and Objective and Subjective Measures of Company Performance, British Journal of Management, 21 (2): 484-497.
  • Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., and Minkov, M. (2010), Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind, Third Edition, New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
  • http://www.ilo.org/ankara/conventions-ratified-by-turkey/WCMS_377248/lang--tr/index.htm, Access Date: 23.03.2016.
  • https://www.tbmm.gov.tr/anayasa/anayasa82.htm, Access Date: 15.05.2016
  • https://www.tbmm.gov.tr/kanunlar/k4857.html, Access Date: 15.05.2016
  • Hunt-Earle, K. (2012), Falling Over a Glass Cliff: a Study of the Recruitment of Women to LeadershipRoles in Troubled Enterprises, Global Business and Organizational Excellence, 31 (5): 44-53.
  • Judge, E. (2003), “Women on Board: Help or Hindrance?”, The Times, (www.thetimes.co.uk, Erişim Tarihi: 09.05.2016).
  • Kanter, R. M. (1977), “Some Effects of Proportions on Group Life: Skewed sex ratios and responses to token women”. American Journal of Sociology, 82: 965-990.
  • Kulich, C., Ryan, M.K. and Haslam, S.A. (2014), “The Political Glass Cliff: Understanding How Seat Selection Contributes to the Under Performance of Ethnic Minority Candidates”, Politics Research Quarterly, 67(1):84-95
  • Lamsa, A.M., Jyrkinen, M., and Heikkien, S. (2012), Women in Managerial Careers, Editor. Pucetaite, R. Cases in Organizational Ethics, Vilnius University Press, Lithuania: 4-16.
  • Mulcahy, M. and Linehan, C. (2014), “Females and Precarious Board Positions: Further Evidence of the Glass Cliff”, British Journal of Management, 25 (3): 425-438.
  • Nunnaly, J. C., (1978), Psychometric theory (2nd ed.). McGraw-Hill, New York.
  • Robbins, s.P., and Judge, T.A. (2013), Organizational Behavior (14th ed.). Pearson, New Jersey.
  • Ryan, M.K., and Haslam, S.A. (2005), “The Glass Cliff: Evidence that Women are Over-Represented in Precarious Leadership”, British Journal of Management, (16):81-90
  • Ryan, M. K., and Haslam, S. A., (2006), “The Glass Cliff: The Stress of Working on the Edge” European Business Forum, (27): 42-47.
  • Ryan, M.K., and Haslam, S.A. (2007), “The Glass Cliff: Exploring The Dynamics Surrounding The Appointment of Women to Precarious Leadership Positions”, Academy of Management Review, 32(2): 549-572.
  • Ryan, M.K., Haslam, S.A. and Postmes, T. (2007), “Reactions to Glass Cliff: Gender Differences in The Explanations for The Precariousness of Women’s Leadership Positions”, Journal of Organizational Change Management, 20(2): 182-197
  • Ryan, M.K. and Haslam, S.A. (2009), “Glass Cliffs Are Not So Easily Scaled: On The Precariousness of Female CEO’s Positions”, British Journal of Management, (20):13-16
  • Ryan, M.K., Haslam, S.A. and Kulich, C. (2010), “Politics and The Glass Cliff: Evidence that Women are Preferentially Selected to Contest Hard-to-Win Seats”, Psychology of Women Quarterly, 34(1):56-64
  • Ryan, M.K., Haslam, S.A., Hersby, M.T. and Bongiorno, R. (2011), “Think Crisis –Think Female: The Glass Cliff and Contextual Variation in The Manager –Think Male Stereotype”, Journal Of Applied Psychology, 96(3): 470-484.
  • Sabharwal, M. (2013), “From Glass Ceiling to Glass Cliff: Woman in Senior Executive Service”, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 25: 399-426.
  • Schein, V. E. (1973), “The Relationship Between Sex Role Stereotypes And Requisite Management Characteristics”, Journal of Applied Psychology, 57, pp. 95-100.
  • Schein, V. E. (1975), “The Relationship Between Sex Role Stereotypes And Requisite Management Characteristics Among Female Managers”, Journal of Applied Psychology, 60, pp. 340-344.
  • Sekaran, U. (1992), Research Methods for Business: A Skill Building Approach, Second Edition, John Wiley & Sons., New York.
  • Staines, G., Tavris, C. and Jayaratne, T. E. (1974), “The queen bee syndrome”. Psychology Today, 7(8): 55-60.
  • Uyar, E. (2011), “The Glass Cliff: Differences in Perceived Suitability and Leadership Ability of Men and Women for Leadership Positions in High and Poor Performing Companies”, The Degree of Master Business of Business Administration in The Department of Business Administration, Middle East Technical University, Ankara
  • Williams, C.L. (1992), “The Glass Escalator: Hidden Advantages for Men in the ‘Female’ Professions”, Social Problems, 39(3): 253-257.
There are 43 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Business Administration
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Sebahattin Yıldız 0000-0001-7625-5358

Mehmet Fatih Vural This is me 0000-0002-7822-6400

Publication Date July 30, 2019
Acceptance Date June 23, 2019
Published in Issue Year 2019 Volume: 19 Issue: 3

Cite

APA Yıldız, S., & Vural, M. F. (2019). A Cultural Perspective of The Glass Cliff Phenomenon. Ege Academic Review, 19(3), 309-321. https://doi.org/10.21121/eab.451162
AMA Yıldız S, Vural MF. A Cultural Perspective of The Glass Cliff Phenomenon. ear. July 2019;19(3):309-321. doi:10.21121/eab.451162
Chicago Yıldız, Sebahattin, and Mehmet Fatih Vural. “A Cultural Perspective of The Glass Cliff Phenomenon”. Ege Academic Review 19, no. 3 (July 2019): 309-21. https://doi.org/10.21121/eab.451162.
EndNote Yıldız S, Vural MF (July 1, 2019) A Cultural Perspective of The Glass Cliff Phenomenon. Ege Academic Review 19 3 309–321.
IEEE S. Yıldız and M. F. Vural, “A Cultural Perspective of The Glass Cliff Phenomenon”, ear, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 309–321, 2019, doi: 10.21121/eab.451162.
ISNAD Yıldız, Sebahattin - Vural, Mehmet Fatih. “A Cultural Perspective of The Glass Cliff Phenomenon”. Ege Academic Review 19/3 (July 2019), 309-321. https://doi.org/10.21121/eab.451162.
JAMA Yıldız S, Vural MF. A Cultural Perspective of The Glass Cliff Phenomenon. ear. 2019;19:309–321.
MLA Yıldız, Sebahattin and Mehmet Fatih Vural. “A Cultural Perspective of The Glass Cliff Phenomenon”. Ege Academic Review, vol. 19, no. 3, 2019, pp. 309-21, doi:10.21121/eab.451162.
Vancouver Yıldız S, Vural MF. A Cultural Perspective of The Glass Cliff Phenomenon. ear. 2019;19(3):309-21.