Gender and career progression in the financial services

Abstract

This thesis is an exploration of gender and how it affects career progression within the financial services in Ireland. Research has found that the financial services is a particularly difficult industry for women in terms of the gendered organisational structures and cultures which predominate in these companies. (Catalyst, 2001a, 2002; Ogden et al, 2006; EHRC, 2009) There has been little research carried out on gender within the financial services in Ireland, despite it being a very important sector of the economy, and despite it having the largest gender pay gap of any industry in Ireland (Forfas, 2007; CSO 2006). The aim of the study was thus firstly to understand if the vertical and horizontal gender segregation that has been found in international studies of the financial services is replicated here in Ireland; and secondly, if these organisations are found to be gendered, to understand why this is the case. Of particular interest to this study was to understand whether person-centred factors such as individual choice and preference were more important than organisational factors in hindering women’s progress in this industry.