From glass ceiling to inequality regimes

Women are extremely under-represented in top management and professional positions in all countries, although cross-national variations exist. Women from minority ethnic and racial groups suffer from greater under-representation than do majority group women. The "Glass Ceiling" is a metaphor that describes the gender barriers that produce these patterns. This article suggests that "Inequality Regimes" is a more accurate metaphor, as it stands for gender, race and class barriers that obstruct women's opportunities for advancement at all levels of organizational hierarchy. The article discusses the components of inequality regimes and briefly assesses some efforts to change these practices. (C) 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.