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Gender and workplace interactions: who is likely to lose?

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  • Swati Sharma

    (Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi)

Abstract

Workplace interactions have been identified as a valuable source of information and career advancement. This study examines workplace interaction by looking at personal ties of 1744 blue-collar workers in 2 garment manufacturing units in the National Capital Region (NCR) of Delhi, India. Data analysis shows that men have a more expansive set of personal ties, even after controlling for variation in interpersonal and workplace-related characteristics. Women’s personal networks are smaller, clustered within their functional units and more homogeneous. While supervisors do not figure in personal networks of either gender, women are significantly less likely to mobilize interactions with supervisors for professional or personal purposes. Thus, women’s personal ties at the workplace exhibit patterns that are opposite of those identified by existing literature as instrumental for career advancement.

Suggested Citation

  • Swati Sharma, 2021. "Gender and workplace interactions: who is likely to lose?," IEG Working Papers 426, Institute of Economic Growth.
    • Handle: RePEc:awe:wpaper:426
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    gender; workplace ties; social networks; garment manufacturing; India;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • J40 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - General
    • M51 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Firm Employment Decisions; Promotions
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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