Gender Promotion Gaps: Career Aspirations and Workplace Discrimination
Gender Promotion Gaps: Career Aspirations and Workplace Discrimination
Author: Ghazala Azmat
Author: Vicente Cunat
Author: Emeric Henry
Abstract: Using a nationally representative longitudinal survey of lawyers in the U.S., we document a sizeable gap between men and women in their early aspirations to become law firm partners, despite similar early investments and educational characteristics. This aspiration gap can explain a large part of the gender promotion gap that is observed later. We propose a model to understand the role of aspirations and then empirically test its predictions. We show that aspirations create incentives to exert effort and are correlated with expectations of success and the preference for becoming a partner. We further show that aspirations are affected by early work experiences—facing harassment or demeaning comments early in the career affects long-term promotion outcomes mediated via aspirations. Our research highlights the importance of accounting for, and managing, career aspirations as an early intervention to close gender career gaps.
Pages: 52
Date Added: 11/3/2021, 11:27:16 AM
Reading Notes:
Objective: To show the role aspirations have on the gender promotions gap amongst lawyers
Background:
Legal promotion ladder: Law school enrollment (50/50 men/women) -> law school completion (50/50) -> Private law firm (55/45) -> Partner at law firm (80/20)
Probability to make partner ~50%. Up or out policy - associates that are not promoted need to leave. Promotions occur 10-12 years after the bar exam
Data & Key Variables: National Longitudinal Survey of Lawyers. Admitted to bar in 2000. Three waves: 2002, 2007, 2012
Asked in early career how strongly aspire to become partner. Big differences between men and women
Methodology: Simple regressions with gender interactions on NLSL data
Results: Aspirations explain ~1/2 of the gender promotions gap.
Not a lot of sorting of men and women into different types of firms
Demeaning comments have strong effects on aspirations and promotions
Senior mentors have strong effects on making partner
Key Table/Figure:
