2.2 Hypothesis development
Regardless of size, firms are more likely to survive and prosper during phases of economic expansion. Simply, size does not matter. Some studies have found evidence of the existence of a positive relationship between the likelihood of employees being promoted and the life chances of the firm (Stewman and Konda, 1983; Wholey, 1985). Under favourable conditions job vacancies are created, both within the firm and in the market in general. The Vacancy Chain Theory (VCT) (White, 1970; Keyfitz, 1973) and Stewman 1986) predicts that, as a consequence of growth, vacancies are created at the top of the firms’ hierarchy and new subunits are filled from within by promoted employees. As Stewman (1986:214) put it “[...] when an initial job vacancy arises, whether by a newly created job or by a person leaving the organization, the demand for that work will …show more content…
This phenomenon was coined by Ryan and Haslam (2005) as the Glass Cliff hypothesis. The Glass Cliff hypothesis predicts that in times of crisis and /or poor firm performance, occupational minorities such as women are more likely to be promoted into positions of leadership. This theory also postulates that under stable market conditions the preference goes for white men. The prevailing viewpoint within the group of decision makers is that women are not as capable as white men to lead the organization, and that the firm’s poor performance is due to female leadership (Rosette et al., 2008; Carton and Rosette, 2011). Thus leadership and managerial abilities tend to be associated with the stereotypical attributes of masculinity, as embodied in the social role theory: ‘think manager, think male’ (Schein, 1973; Eagly,
Regardless of size, firms are more likely to survive and prosper during phases of economic expansion. Simply, size does not matter. Some studies have found evidence of the existence of a positive relationship between the likelihood of employees being promoted and the life chances of the firm (Stewman and Konda, 1983; Wholey, 1985). Under favourable conditions job vacancies are created, both within the firm and in the market in general. The Vacancy Chain Theory (VCT) (White, 1970; Keyfitz, 1973) and Stewman 1986) predicts that, as a consequence of growth, vacancies are created at the top of the firms’ hierarchy and new subunits are filled from within by promoted employees. As Stewman (1986:214) put it “[...] when an initial job vacancy arises, whether by a newly created job or by a person leaving the organization, the demand for that work will …show more content…
This phenomenon was coined by Ryan and Haslam (2005) as the Glass Cliff hypothesis. The Glass Cliff hypothesis predicts that in times of crisis and /or poor firm performance, occupational minorities such as women are more likely to be promoted into positions of leadership. This theory also postulates that under stable market conditions the preference goes for white men. The prevailing viewpoint within the group of decision makers is that women are not as capable as white men to lead the organization, and that the firm’s poor performance is due to female leadership (Rosette et al., 2008; Carton and Rosette, 2011). Thus leadership and managerial abilities tend to be associated with the stereotypical attributes of masculinity, as embodied in the social role theory: ‘think manager, think male’ (Schein, 1973; Eagly,