The career development and aspirations of women in middle management – revisited

Abstract

This article reports the results of the second phase of a research study on the career development and aspirations of women in middle management in business firms in the USA. The major method of this research study was the individual case study. Case studies relied on in‐person and/or telephone interviews with the same 30 women managers who participated in the first phase of the study in 1995. The majority of the women managers worked forFortune500 companies and were located throughout the USA. The findings of the study revealed that the majority of the women managers have not attained the positions to which they ultimately aspire. The majority do not believe they are progressing as rapidly as they think they should. However, the majority of the women managers continue to aspire to top level management positions and they believe that it is very realistic that they will attain these positions.