Finding a 'normal' woman : Selection processes for board membership

• Published in: Sex roles Vol. 56; no. 7-8; pp. 495 - 507
• Main Authors: CLARINGBOULD, Inge, KNOPPERS, Annelies
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Springer 01-04-2007; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Boards of directors; Corporate governance; Decision Making; Females; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gender; Governance; Governing Boards; Males; Nonprofit Organizations; Occupational psychology; Orientation. Selection. Evaluation; Personnel selection; Professional recruitment; Professional sports; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Quotas; Recruitment; Selection Procedures; Sex; Sex Fairness; Social psychology; Social role. Sex role; Sports; Women; Netherlands; Europe; Social environment; Competition; Human; Sex role; Recruitment and selection; Sex; Gender; Governance; Recruitment; Sport; Occupational selection; Top management; Cultural environment
• ISSN: 0360-0025; 1573-2762
• DOI: 10.1007/s11199-007-9188-2

The higher the organization level, the lower the percentage of women in governance. The purpose of the present study was to explore how men and women negotiate women's 'fit' as candidates for boards of national sport organizations. We based our analysis on in- depth interviews with male chairs and female board members. The results provide evidence that men can control boards by affirming and negating affirmative action policies and by framing the process of recruitment and selection in such a way as to reproduce the male-dominated culture in the board. Women, in their turn, tend to negotiate their entry by distancing themselves from their gender and proving their 'fit'. Adapted from the source document.