Dealing with organisational nuts and bolts: the relevance of organisational practises to women's promotion

Over the past ten years sociologists have increasingly recognised the usefulness of highlighting the organisational practises or ‘tactics’ (1) through which horizontal and vertical segregation is perpetuated. Although an exclusive focus on them is insufficient (2) this article is concerned with exploring the ways in which women’s under-representation in management positions is perpetuated by such practises. This article draws on focus group material from a study which was commissioned by the Chief Executive Officer of the Midland and Mid-Western Health Boards, and looks at women’s attitudes to those organisational practises which affect their promotion in these Health Boards (3). Specifically it looks at their concept of an Equal Opportunity Employer; the perceived clarity of criteria as regards promotion; the composition of interview boards; their access to opportunities to achieve visibility and to ‘show form’ within the organisation; their access to various kinds of training; the ways in which combining paid work and family responsibilities was facilitated and their attitudes to the identification of targets and quotas. Prior to looking at this data the concept of equality will be briefly discussed within an organisational context.