Women in boards : dichotomising the glass ceiling

Abstract

This paper identifies the reasons why glass ceiling and in the case of Cyprus “concrete ceiling” exists in both the private and public sectors despite enacted relevant legislation to ensure equality in work. Initially a qualitative research was carried out with the use of focus groups to identify the issues at hand. Following the results of the qualitative research, a questionnaire was prepared and distributed to the CEOs or the highest rank official of 120 organisations, 38% of those responded. This research, the first of its kind, addressed both the private and public sectors and confirms what has already been addressed in literature in other countries, namely that the main barrier hindering the career prospects of women is the family factor. In the public sector however where human intervention is eliminated women are better represented in the top-level positions.