The Glass Escalator: – Male Career Paths in NZ Libraries

Abstract

This study examines the theory of the glass escalator in the context of the library and information management profession in New Zealand. The glass escalator theory proposes that men who work in female dominated professions, such as libraries, teaching and nursing, experience benefits due to their token status as men. These benefits translate into faster promotion as the organisational and society pressures encourage these men into working into more masculine and gender typical roles, e.g. management. In this study, the researcher interviewed a small group of men who are currently employed in managerial and senior roles in New Zealand libraries in order to assess their experiences in working in a profession that is predominately staffed by females. The results of the interviews were compared with conclusions from existing research into the glass escalator theory in order to determine how much influence the glass escalator had on their careers. The results showed that there is some evidence that the experiences of these men could be related to the glass escalator; however, the participants did not attribute their success in the profession as being related to their gender. There is a need for further research and a wider sample size in order to address the theory in a New Zealand context.