ABSTRACT
I think the most important lesson to be learned from this work is that gender predominates over geographic boundaries or political traditions when it comes to affecting one's status in public management. Although the substrate upon which women's and men's experiences are based is generally the same, it is the differences that are most visible. Thus, even though differences show up as only one point or a fraction of a point on a Likert-type scale, the direction of the differences persists across the states. The patterns are inescapable and haunting. They appear in regard to career advancement, personal background, family obligations, access to mentors, exposure to sexual harassment, fitting into the organizational culture, management style, and policy preferences.
