The Perception of ‘Glass Ceiling’ in Indian Organizations:An Exploratory Study

In analyzing the existence of ‘glass ceiling’ in India, it is not very easy to come up with definite answers. While glass ceiling phenomenon has been studied extensively in the western context, glass ceiling as perceived and dealt with in India remains largely an under researched area. The objective of this study is not only to explore if glass ceiling really exists in the Indian corporate world but also to understand the male psyche; the factors they feel are responsible for impeding women’s career advancement in the Indian corporate. The data collected through a questionnaire survey is analyzed. The interesting finding has been that there appears to be a huge gap between objective facts and subjective perception. While Indian men are in denial about the existence of a glass ceiling, the underlying stereotypes are pretty well-embedded. The study is significant as it attempts to study the glass ceiling phenomenon in the Indian context and in the process examines ways of breaking the mould.