Women in Leadership Positions: Gender Culture in Scientific Research Organizations

Men's stories of gender culture in organizations contribute to the maintenance of the symbolic order. The men's point of view depicts their values and experiences which may be referred to as ‘masculine'. ‘Masculinity' refers to values meanings and experiences interpreted culturally as masculine. By using the concept of hegemonic masculinity this paper demonstrates, through a qualitative study of scientists in four Indian R&D organizations, the complex of practices that maintain the hegemonic position in gender relations and the challenge to the concep by demonstrating the futility of those practices for men as well as women.