Social capital and senior women managers’ advancement in male-dominated fields

Purpose This study aims to fill a research gap regarding the effects of social capital on the success of women managers in male-dominated fields. Social capital refers to the value people gain from interpersonal interactions, and research has proved that women managers can use it differently. This study also aims to determine how social capital contributes to female managers’ career advancement and success in male-dominated fields. Design/methodology/approach The research was conducted via qualitative methods, and grounded theory was used to analyze data from 31 female managers working in the resources sector in Western Australia. Findings Three themes were identified: women in male-dominated fields, success perceptions and success strategies. These three themes are integrated into the aggregated theme of social capital, consisting of two types of senior women managers: those whose social capital is primarily bonding and those whose social capital is primarily bridging. Practical implications Identifying female managers’ motivations and leadership aspirations in male-dominant fields is crucial to understanding appropriate strategies for meeting their ambitions. For organizations, understanding women’s true ambitions is the key to preventing alienation. Originality/value The research findings indicate that women whose primary type of social capital is bonding perceive themselves as specialists. In contrast, women whose primary type of social capital is bridging perceive themselves as leaders. These findings contribute to women’s leadership and social capital theories.