Scholars of diversity in public organizations are paying increasing attention to aspects of the external environment, such as the financial context, which potentially shape managerial behaviour, disrupt ‘in’ and ‘out’... [ view full abstract ]
Scholars of diversity in public organizations are paying increasing attention to aspects of the external environment, such as the financial context, which potentially shape managerial behaviour, disrupt ‘in’ and ‘out’ group relationships and influence the type and proportion of new hires (Meier and O’Toole, 2009; Andrews and Ashworth, 2015). Research on organizational munificence at time of hire demonstrates the impact of ‘imprint-environment fit’ on individual careers, when scarcity at time of appointment reduces opportunities for advancement or, alternatively, prompts resourcefulness that provides a career advantage (Tilcsik, 2014). Conditions at time of hire might have important implications for diversity and representative bureaucracy if they shape the opportunity structures of minority managers and their demonstrations of competence and performance. For example, the ‘glass cliff hypothesis’ suggests that female managers hired during austerity might be subject to a ‘branding’ effect which shapes subsequent career outcomes. These effects may also help us better understand prospects for the transition between 'passive' and ‘active representation’ (Smith and Monaghan, 2013; Meier and Funk, 2016). Despite these arguments, studies of diversity in public organizations often incorporate budgetary measures as dependent variables (Opstrup and Villadsen 2014) and ‘imprint-environment fit’ effects remain unexplored. In this paper, we examine how resource munificence at time of hire affects subsequent salary dynamics and likelihood of advancement for female managers in Danish local governments. We draw on Danish Integrated Database for Labor Market Research data on employment situation (e.g. employer, salary) which is linked to gender, age, ethnicity and education (Krøtel and Villadsen, 2015). Specifically, we study female managers hired between 1985 and 1995, a period characterised by austerity and growth in local governments, up to 2010 (or labour market exit) allowing us to observe lengthy career histories. The paper concludes by reviewing theoretical implications and offering suggestions for future research.
References:
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