From biological clocks to unspeakable inequalities: the intersectional positioning of young professionals

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dc.contributor.authorKelan, Elisabeth K.
dc.date.accessioned2017-01-11T10:23:15Z
dc.date.available2017-01-11T10:23:15Z
dc.date.issued2014-07-21
dc.description.abstractThe article examines how gender and age influence the experience of being a professional by drawing on intersectionality as an act of positioning for which different discursive resources are employed. Through interviews with employees at two professional services firms, it is shown how younger men and women make sense of professional experiences. First, the biological clock is used to explain the divergence of career patterns of men and women while ignoring that all women, regardless of actual maternal status, suffer a maternity penalty. Second, individual strategies for overcoming being in a minority are suggested that indicate that the individual rather than societal structures shape chances of success. Finally, generational change is used to argue that gender inequality belongs to a previous generation, which indicates that inequality is becoming unspeakable. The article shows that young professionals position themselves in unique ways with regard to age and gender, which entails emphasizing individual agency over systemic inequalities.en_UK
dc.description.sponsorshipThe research was financially supported by the research consortium on Generation Y convened by the Lehman Brothers Centre for Women in Business at London Business School. The consortium included the following partner companies: Accenture (Founding Partner), Allen & Overy, Barclaycard Business, Baxter International, Cargill, IBM, Johnson & Johnson and KPMG. I would like to thank Alice Mah for helping to conduct the interviews and Scarlett Brown for editing the article. Thanks also to the associate editor, Stella Nkomo, and the anonymous reviewers for their patient guidance.en_UK
dc.identifier.citationElisabeth K. Kelan. From biological clocks to unspeakable inequalities: the intersectional positioning of young professionals. British Journal of Management, Volume 25, Issue 4, October 2014, pp790–804en_UK
dc.identifier.issn1045-3172
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.12062
dc.identifier.urihttp://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/11246
dc.language.isoenen_UK
dc.publisherJohn Wiley and Sonsen_UK
dc.rightsAttribution-Non-Commercial 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC 3.0) You are free to: Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format, Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material. The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms. Under the following terms: Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. Information: Non-Commercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes. No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
dc.titleFrom biological clocks to unspeakable inequalities: the intersectional positioning of young professionalsen_UK
dc.typeArticleen_UK

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