As a result, countries develop different competitive
advantages. For example, radical innovation is more likely in Liberal Market Economies such as the US or the UK where markets are less regulated and competition encouraged. In my research, I show how this plays out in how organisational hierarchies are negotiated and that each context comes with different challenges that are often gendered. The findings can be useful for taking a strategic approach to cross-border work and understanding why everyday things we take for granted may be done differently, even when we just move 400 miles east.
P
rofessional service firms offer an important research site. The Big 4 firms alone employ 1.12 million people worldwide. They regularly feature among top employers for women and
are involved in auditing and advising corporations and governments alike. While many of these firms invest heavily in initiatives designed to improve access and equal opportunities for women, the proportion of women at the very top has stalled at around 20%-23%. In my research with women who made partnership
in professional service firms, I was especially interested in how organisational hierarchies are negotiated across borders, and the advantages and disadvantages for women.
THE NATIONAL CONTEXT MATTERS My recently published book, ‘Gendered Hierarchies of Dependency’, shows the national context does indeed matter to women’s careers. In academia, we have models and frameworks to make sense of cross-national differences. One of the more established is Varieties of Capitalism (VoC), developed by Hall and Soskice in 2001. I use this in my work to help think about how differences in the socio-economic and political context are reflected in how we organise hierarchies at work. The VoC distinguishes between Coordinated Market Economies on
the one hand, and Liberal Market Economies on the other hand. The main difference between them is how different actors – employers, workers, unions, the government etc – interact and how this interaction is coordinated. In Liberal Market Economies such as the UK, markets tend to coordinate things, while in Coordinated Market Economies (CMEs) negotiations and cooperation are key. For example, in CMEs such as Germany, companies may be encouraged to share R&D facilities. During economic downturns, the government, unions and employers are also more likely to negotiate collective solutions instead of layoffs for some.
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IMPORTANCE OF NETWORKS AND RELATIONSHIPS IN COORDINATED MARKET ECONOMIES Examining the careers of women who made it to partnership in professional service firms, my book demonstrates how relationships and networks feature much more prominently in the careers of German participants. Importantly, such differences even came to the fore in large, globally-operating firms, although it was less pronounced here. It was quite common for example to draw on family friends to secure a first internship or advice throughout the application process. The women I spoke to often joined firms where they already had established networks. Partnership deeds were often discussed over dinner and for some, partnership was a relationship of trust that was almost akin to marriage. These sort of relationship-based hierarchies can be
tricky for women. We know from decades of research that women are, on average, less likely to have access to networks of this kind, which are often dominated by men. It will also make it more difficult for expatriates looking to further their careers abroad, as they likely lack the relationships necessary to access the kinds of opportunities for responsibility and leadership we know can help advance careers on repatriation. There are other disadvantages. For the women I interviewed it was at times unclear how promotions were applied. They had to rely heavily on maintaining good relationships with one immediate manager. This can backfire if your manager is unsupportive. It can be especially problematic if your manager is biased.
UNDERSTANDING PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND SIGNALLING YOUR MARKET VALUE In the UK, in contrast, the research uncovered a more structured and proceduralised approach to careers and hierarchies. The women I interviewed described the importance of understanding the performance management system in place and accurately signalling their expectations and market value throughout the appraisal and promotions process. When things went wrong, they often relied on recruiters and headhunters to facilitate a move. Half of the women interviewed in the UK mentioned the involvement of headhunters and recruiters during their careers. Research results about the extent to which recruiters can help for example overcome gender bias in corporate recruitment
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