Research and News

The prototypical image of a successful negotiator is someone who is competent, confident, and in control — characteristics that are not always readily applied to disabled people.  Two researchers wanted to understand if disabled people are more stigmatized in an intense job task, such as a potentially contentious, price-based negotiation. And if so, is this stigma more pronounced for women and/or those with an invisible disability?

Deepa Purushothaman, Lisa Kaplowitz, and Colleen Tolan, PhD, wrote about the slippery concept of power and how gendered perceptions of power hold women back. So many empowerment efforts fall short because they fail to consider the ways in which women actually feel powerful. Instead of expecting female leaders to step into male archetypes, companies need to reconceptualize evaluations of power in leadership— especially when it comes to female leaders.

Check out the new article "Flexible Work is Key for Gender Equity: Insights from CWIB's Inaugural Conference" by Colleen Tolan, PhD, Post-Doctoral Research Associate, and Lisa Kaplowitz, Executive Director, from our center.
 
Read the article below to learn how flexible work is vital to the advancement of women in the workforce.

Check out our most recent research on the importance of male engagement in reaching gender equity by Lisa Kaplowitz and Colleen Tolan published in Havard Business Review. The data shows most men want gender equity, but barriers are holding them back from joining in on the fight. Recognizing these obstacles is the first step toward initiating impactful change and empowering men to participate in gender equity initiatives.

On this episode of the Formidable Over Forty podcast, Lisa shares her learnings in gender equity, explaining how we need to reframe our approach and unlearn societal norms, moving from policy, to practice, to culture. Lisa also gives valuable insight into finding your passion at the intersection of what you love and what you’re good at, and feeling empowered to pivot when you need a change of direction, learning lessons rather than staying stuck.

There is no lack of data and information about why organizations should offer caregiver-friendly employee policies and benefits. For example, the U.S. lacks the infrastructure to support caregivers, and in fact is the only industrial nation without federal paid parental leave, and many people live in childcare deserts. The authors conducted original research to collect stories from caregiver employees and found that they bring unique skillsets that positively impact culture, retention, and ultimately the bottom line.

On today’s podcast, Lisa S. Kaplowitz Executive Director – Rutgers Center for Women in Business will be joining us to discuss the harmful ways women have to change themselves to fit the ideal worker image, and organizations that devalue anyone who differs from it. In an article for Harvard Business Review entitled, 5 Harmful Ways Women Feel They Must Adapt in Corporate America Lisa and two co-authors share findings from their research, Lisa outlines what these adaptations are and why they are ultimately harmful.

This podcast will cover the beginning of Lisa’s advocacy as a scholar-athlete at Brown University, when she was part of a landmark Title IX case that added more varsity athletic opportunities for women and how she continues to champion gender equity at work and in the home, alongside her husband and teenage sons, as references in her latest TEDx, “Advancing Women in the Workplace, One Son at a Time.”

Our Executive Director, Lisa Kaplowitz, has partnered with Deepa Purushothaman and Lisen Stromberg for a Harvard Business Review article that covers “5 Harmful Ways Women Feel They Must Adapt in Corporate America.” In this article, it is shown that many women adopt maladaptation to endure the current state of corporate America, leading to immense pressure to be perfect, taking on disproportionate workloads, and declining mental and physical health.

Check out this new article from our Research director, Kyra Leigh Sutton, Ph.D., sharing her findings that women benefit from discussing professional development with their female friends. From giving recommendations to discussing how to overcome barriers, receiving support from women who are in a similar stage of life can reduce imposter syndrome and encourage self-advocacy.

Our Research director, Kyra Leigh Sutton, Ph.D., discusses her findings when assessing the effects of virtual work on women’s career advancement. In addition, Dr. Sutton emphasizes the importance of dashboard metrics for companies to make mindful decisions when supporting women who work virtually.

“We need to create a workplace that implements policies that support all employees — both women and men — on (items) such as family leave, child care, flexible work environment, etc.,” she said. “Then, these policies need to be practiced. And then, that practice needs to become culture.”

As workplaces move toward permanent hybrid environments, women can experience additional barriers that hinder career advancement. Our Research Director, Kyra Leigh Sutton, Ph.D. and Executive Director, Lisa Kaplowitz, discuss how ERGs can help can mitigate this and support remote and hybrid workers.

Our Research director, Kyra Leigh Sutton, Ph.D., discusses the struggles people of color often face and go unnoticed. The Rutgers Center for Women in Business challenges you to be an ally both outside and inside of the workplace.

Gender equity can, and should, be championed both in the workforce and at home. Lisa Kaplowitz talked about her professional endeavors as impacted by gender equity, and her experimentation with the distribution of housework amongst her two teenage boys as a microcosm of what should, and can, be done in the workforce.

Professor Durante discusses outdated gender norms and workplace advancement for women.

Kristina Durante, Lisa Kaplowitz, Yuqian Chang, and Alexis Rittweger

In this Bloomberg Quicktake, Rutgers Center for Women in Business Director Lisa Kaplowitz talks about the challenges working women faced, especially during the pandemic. She also offered advice and personal anecdotes on things that worked for her family.

Professor DiTomaso discusses gender inequality in the workforce and the pathways toward gender equity. Her research addresses issues of diversity, culture, and inequality, as well as the management of knowledge-based organizations, and the management of scientists and engineers.

Too often, narratives about men’s engagement in gender diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives focus nearly exclusively on the benefits for women. For instance, efforts to compel male participation in gender DEI programs often focus on the business case (why advancing women is good for the company’s bottom line), the moral case (connecting inclusion with his sense of fairness and justice), the personal case (do it for your sister, daughter, or partner), and, of course, the well-documented benefits — professionally and personally — for the women who work with men.

Socially imposed norms place value on marriage and family for women. Why? Social norms rarely arise randomly. A deeper reason resides within the realm of biology. Biological and environmental selection pressures over time become catalysts that evoke social values.

By almost every measure women are being disproportionately impacted by the global pandemic – how can CEOs protect gender progress in the workplace from sliding backwards?

The COVID-19 pandemic radically changed both the corporate workplace and our home life overnight. For employees with the luxury of telecommuting, the initial phase of the pandemic had highs and lows. Working from home and the absence of a long commute provided the opportunity to be more productive than before.

The COVID-19 pandemic radically changed both the corporate workplace and our home life overnight. For employees with the luxury of telecommuting, the initial phase of the pandemic had highs and lows. Working from home and the absence of a long commute provided the opportunity to be more productive than before.

When superstar Cher’s mom asked her why she hadn’t settled down and married a rich man, her reply was, “Mom, I am a rich man.” I thought about this quote last week when my own mom showed me an advice column from the Sunday paper with the headline, “I can’t stop chasing ‘impressive’ men.”

Susan often succeeds in life. She and I have been friends for fifteen years. We are the same age and have the same job — we are both professors at the same level (though at different universities) who study human behavior.

Support the Rutgers Center for Women in Business during March 20th-March 24th for #RutgersGivingDays2023

In honor of Disability Employment Employment Month, we sat down with individuals from ADP, JPMorgan & Chase, Prudential Financial, Fidelity, and Sanofi to hear their stories. It's important to recognize that disabilities can be visible and invisible, and to listen.

Undergraduate women of Rutgers University share their influential women who inspired them to pursue their field of study/career.

It's super important to see women that look like us in leadership positions to show us that we can do it - we can enter into firms and industries because they've done so, too.

Rutgers Center for Women in Business sat down with 12 women to ask them: "What advice would you give your younger self?"

Ranging from companies like Facebook to Goldman Sachs, these RU alum found business success on their own terms while navigating gender biases, balancing responsibilities, and reaching out to others to network.