The entry of women into or maledominated occupations has attracted considerable popular attention in recent years, and to a lesser extent, has been the subject of sociological studies as well. It is an important social phenomenon, representing as it does the attempt to eliminate a persistent form of discrimination in the labor force-the segregation of women into a narrow range of occupations and industries, typified by poverty-level wages, poor working conditions, employment insecurity, and minimal opportunities for advancement. I A common concern in both popular and scholarly discussions of women entering occupations is their ability to survive in settings often populated by resentful male co-workers and supervisors, in which they must learn to perform physically demanding and/or technically challenging tasks. An understanding of factors facilitating or hindering survival in such settings has obvious practical and theoretical implications. Recent literature on women in occupations has emphasized the importance of the attitudes of male co-workers, and the degree to which women are included in the informal social interaction of the group, as determinants of success or failure. While plausible, this approach is not confirmed by the data reported here. Findings from a study of women entering nontraditional, nonprofessional settings will be presented which suggest that variables related to the actual performed and to power relations within the organization may be more important to occupational success than is acceptance by, and positive social interaction with, male co-workers. The 1970's saw the beginnings of the movement of women into occupations traditionally considered men's work in our society. Seeking better pay, greater satisfaction, increased job security, and possibilities for advancement, and aided by equal opportunity laws and the encouragement of the women's movement, women are entering nontraditional jobs at all levels-professional, managerial, and blue-collar. This movement, though still quite small compared to the total number of women in the workforce, has won considerable attention. Both popular and scholarly publications have featured discussions of the problems, successes, and failures of women in jobs. Of particular concern has been the attempt to identify factors which help or hinder their vocational survival. Much of the scholarly literature on this topic argues that the social relationships among workers are very important in this regard--especially the extent to which women are included in the informal social interaction of the male group. Also stressed in the literature are variables, such as the sex-role stereotypes of male workers and managers, and/or the socialized value and behavioral differences between males and females. The barriers women face in organizations are seen, then, as primarily interactional and attitudinal; they are likely to be excluded socially by their male co-workers because of the perceived threat they pose to the cohesion and structure or hierarchy of the group, a threat based on perceived or real differences in work-related values and behavior.2 According to Judith Lorber,3 for example, men are likely to exclude women from informal groups because of