Fighting homophily, homosociability, and social capital: How women in advertising network

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] This study explores the experience of females in advertising and how gendered organizational practices, homophily and hegemonic masculinity impact a woman's experiences and opportunities to network with colleagues. Ultimately, these experiences can negatively impact a woman's opportunity to advance her career in the advertising industry. The analysis is conducted through the framework of gendered organization, which explains that organizations are inherently gendered through social processes and organizational structures and development. In addition, the theory of social capital is also used throughout this thesis, which posits that building relationships with others creates a mutual benefit that can be used for both emotional and tangible rewards. The research determined that women in advertising often adjusted the presentation of their gender by acting out stereotypically masculine and/or feminine qualities in order to best fit the expectations of others or the agency's culture. Additionally, the industry has a larger problem of normalizing exclusionary or crude behavior toward women, which ultimately create structural barriers that inhibit women--especially young women--from advancing their careers and building relationships with coworkers. Overall, this study sheds light on how women in advertising perceive their gender's impact on their ability to build relationships and succeed in the advertising industry.