de promotion recommendations in relation to the 438 applicants for the 32 vacancies.
The researchers hypothesized that gender would influence promotion decisions in such a way that women would receive less favorable outcomes than men in the selection of personnel for top-management positions. The research results did not support this hypothesis. Rather, the researchers found that employment in the department (positive effect), years in top grade (negative effect), and performance appraisal rating exerted significant influences on the selection decision.
The researchers also hypothesized that gender would influence promotion decisions in such a way that women would be rated less favorably than men in the job-related criteria used to make selections for top-management positions. The research results did not support this hypothesis. Rather, the researchers found that the application of the job-related criteria within the department favored women.
The researchers were unable to offer an unequivocal explanation of why so few women were selected for promotion to top-management positions within the participating organization. The authors suggested that factors common to a variety of different types of organization may explain the "glass ceiling" phenomenon. The authors suggested further that additional research should be performed wherein a variety of organization types were included in the investigation. No specific conclusions were stated in the article.
In an effort to send a clear message to employees regarding the consequences of their engaging in inappropriate and potentially unlawful conduct, some employers are applying policies against sexual harassment that are stricter than that required under the law. In a court case (Chalmers v. Quaker Oats Company), the Seventh United States Circuit Court held that an employer did not act arbitrarily or capriciously by denying severance benefits to an executi...