Chaudhry, Sara (2023) Catch-22: token women trying to reconcile impossible contradictions between organizational and societal expectations. Work, Employment & Society 37 (1), pp. 39-57. ISSN 0950-0170.
|
Text (Reuse is restricted to non-commercial and no derivative uses)
46299.pdf - Author's Accepted Manuscript Download (492kB) | Preview |
Abstract
Extending tokenism theory, and Kanter’s (1977a & b) work on numerical representation within organisations, we emphasize the societal context of gender inequality in order to understand token women’s lived experiences at work. Based on analysis of 29 in-depth interviews in a multinational (MNC) situated in the distinctive socio-institutional setting of Saudi Arabia, the paper expands Kanter’s (1977a) typology of roles, to capture token assimilation in a context-embedded way. In particular, we explore the interaction of a seemingly Western MNC espousing liberal values, rules and norms with the enduring patriarchal and traditional context of Saudi Arabia. Further adding texture to Kanter’s (1977a & b) theory, this study reveals that the organizational context cannot be seen as fundamentally neutral and inevitably interacts with the societal context, resulting in unique manifestations of tokenism.
Metadata
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| School: | Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Business and Law > Birkbeck Business School |
| Depositing User: | Sara Chaudhry |
| Date Deposited: | 15 Oct 2021 15:14 |
| Last Modified: | 02 Aug 2023 18:13 |
| URI: | https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/46299 |
Statistics
Additional statistics are available via IRStats2.
Archive Staff Only (login required)
