ABSTRACT
The term glass ceiling was popularized in the 1980s to describe an invisible and seemingly impenetrable barrier that impedes women from attaining top company positions, regardless of their professional accomplishments and qualifications (Federal Glass Ceiling Commission, 1995a; Morrison & von Glinow, 1990). Since its original usage over 10 years ago, this phrase has been expanded to include the range of issues, policies, and practices that keep qualified women and racial and ethnic minorities (i.e., African Americans, American Indians, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, and Hispanic Americans) from advancing to higher level positions of responsibility and authority in corporate America (Redwood, 1996; Zachariasiewicz, 1993). To date, the majority of the glass-ceiling literature focused on obstacles faced by White women in the workplace. However, although all groups affected by the glass ceiling may perceive it to be a serious impediment, the issues are not the same for White women as they are for women and men of various racial and ethnic minority backgrounds (Federal Glass Ceiling Commission, 1995a). In fact, issues related to the glass ceiling tend to differ widely by specific racial and ethnic minority group, and there is also within-group diversity in each of these groups.
