Today, in the 21st century, women are still scarcely represented in top managerial and leadership positions in organizations across all sectors. The "glass-ceiling" is a global phenomenon that refers to workforce disadvantages that women face while advancing into top management positions. It explains a form of workforce segregation where women are barely represented at top executive positions.
So the “glass-ceiling” is a metaphor for invisible barriers that manifest in the form of institutional and/or individual biases that impede women from climbing up the organizational ladder. An important aspect of the glass-ceiling phenomenon is that it strengthens as women climb up organizational hierarchies. One can say that the glass-ceiling phenomenon is displayed when women are denied leadership and management opportunities for reasons other than lack of job-related qualifications.
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The “Think Manager Think Male” Phenomenon explains that sex role stereotypes shape perceptions of leadership characteristics that are necessary for the job. This phenomenon describes the fact that because of socially constructed sex stereotypes, “masculine” characteristics are seen necessary for leadership positions in the workforce. Such stereotyping nurture biases against women during hiring and promotion processes, thus preventing women from reaching top managerial positions. The glass-ceiling phenomenon creates a disadvantage for women in the workforce, not only because it impacts work-related opportunities, but also because it determines work-related outcomes such as salary and occupational status.