Decreasing Numbers at Increasing Levels: An Investigation of the Gender Imbalance at NHH

Abstract

Gender imbalance is a highly discussed topic in Norway, where equity is the norm. At the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (NHH) the issue of gender imbalance has been on the strategic agenda of the school for the past 12 years. Because these strategies have not resulted in the reduction of the gender imbalance that was expected, it is necessary to look for further explanations. Gender imbalance can result from hiring practices, turnover, or promoting policies. In this article the focus is on retaining women in the organization, and we draw on the literature from organizational attachment to uncover additional understanding of gender imbalance. The article reports the findings from an exploratory study of organizational attachment among the faculty at NHH. Findings indicate differences between male and female faculty members and PhD students on organizational commitment, on the value and expectation of job characteristics, on the suitability of the paradigm, and on alternative job possibilities.