Kvinnliga revisorer bankar på glastaket : En studie av revisionsbyråer i Stockholm

Sammanfattning: The Glass ceiling is a metaphor used to explain how women can be limited from reaching the top positions in their careers by being stuck under a transparent glass ceiling. Despite the fact that Sweden is one of the most gender equal countries in the world, the current statistics show that women in Sweden generally earn less than men, take larger responsibility of parenting and only represent a minority in boards and leading positions. Previous research on the Glass ceiling has been supported by factors such as motherhood, women’s views on their own possibilities and women being promoted to more precarious leading positions. The current study focuses on the auditor sector and is limited to Stockholm. The study aims to contribute to an understanding of the inequalities between men’s and women’s careers by measuring the existence of the Glass ceiling. The research emanated from previous research and affiliated theories aiming to confirm or reject the Glass ceiling. The study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with auditors operating in Stockholm, during spring of 2017. The current study showed evidence for Homosocial reproduction in top positions in the auditor business in that men tend to choose other men when promoting to top positions. The Pipeline perspective theory was also corroborated due to the industry gradually becoming more gender equal. Furthermore, evidence was found of the Leaky pipeline theory on women resigning from the auditor business as they become mothers, due to the auditor business’ seasonally intense workload. The Glass ceiling was hence partly confirmed.