The Hidden Cost of Flexibility: A Factorial Survey Experiment on Job Promotion
| Autor: | Teresa Jurado-Guerrero, Irina Fernandez-Lozano, Juan-Ignacio Martínez-Pastor, M. José González |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: | |
| Zdroj: | European Sociological Review. 36:265-283 |
| ISSN: | 1468-2672 0266-7215 |
| Popis: | This article analyses the role of gender, parenthood, and work flexibility measures and the mediating role of stereotypes on the likelihood of achieving an internal promotion in Spain. We hypothesize that employers favour fathers over mothers and disfavour flexible workers (flexibility stigma) because they are perceived, respectively, as less competent and less committed. We also hypothesize that employers reflect their gender values in the selection process. These hypotheses are tested using data from a survey experiment in which 71 supervisors from private companies evaluate 426 short vignettes describing six different candidates for promotion into positions that require decision-making and team supervision skills. Several candidate characteristics are experimentally manipulated, while others such as skills and experience in the company are kept constant to minimize the risk of statistical discrimination. Contrary to our expectations, fathers are not preferred in promotion, as they are not perceived as being more competent than mothers. However, we find that flexibility leads to lower promotion scores, partly due to its association with a lack of commitment. Although the statutory right to reduce working hours for care reasons seems a major social achievement, this experiment shows that mothers may be indirectly penalized, as they are the main users of this policy. The authors would also like to thank the Recercaixa2014 and Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (projects CSO2014-58754-P; and CSO2014-59927-R) which supported this research. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|