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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore inhibitors preventing Spanish women from attaining positions of leadership.Design/methodology/approachUsing a qualitative approach based on focus groups and structured personal interviews on 42 Spanish male and female executives, the study tests the main gender normative expectations applicable to specific work and personal roles.FindingsThe findings suggest that there is a significant consensus about the existence of traditional and emerging models. Research also suggests there are still clear gaps between traditional and emerging roles that are easily identified and recognized. Contrary to expectations, the research suggests there is no a clear model of emerging gender roles, and instead considerable diversity in the construction of individual aspirational models.Research limitationsThis is a first exploratory research limited to a reduced sample in the Spanish context. To confirm the findings, the research will benefit from a quantitative approach based on larger samples. Moreover, additional surveys in different cultural contexts will provide a broader understanding of the proposed research questions.Practical implicationsThe gender gap framework can enable policy makers to correctly diagnose the barriers women face in their professional lives and to come up with efficient instruments to correct existing inequalities.Originality/valueThe principal contribution of this paper is that it provides important insights into traditional and aspirational gender gaps that constitute one important internal barrier for women's development.

Purpose– This paper aims to analyze the research in this field on the portrayal of women and the effect this has on boards and corporate image, as well as to propose a theoretical framework for further research on the effects of media stereotypes. The theoretical model aims to analyze the media's effect on female board members, and how this helps in the process of changing stereotypes or whether it consolidates existing preconceptions.Design/methodology/approach– This paper reviews the existing literature on the subject and proposes a theoretical model for future research, contributing thus in opening a new line of research in the field of the roles of women on boards.Findings– The conclusions reached will have important consequences for the future of women on boards in relation to three fundamental issues: the types of women that join boards of directors, the type of female profile companies search for and the roles women are expected to play on those boards.Research limitations/implications– The theoretical framework developed encourages corporate governance agents, business leaders and institution to reflect on potential gender biases.Practical implications– The theoretical framework developed encourages corporate governance agents, business leaders and institutions and media agents to reflect on potential gender biases.Originality/value– An important body of literature already exists showing how the portrayal of women can reinforce or eliminate barriers to access membership of a board of directors. There is also a solid body of literature showing the media's effect on transmitting or changing preconceived ideas about women in business, as well as the potential impact of appointing them – through the influence of different stakeholders – on a company's image. However, there has been little substantial research carried out on the media's effect on gender diversity on boards.

AbstractManuscript TypeReviewResearch Question/IssueThis paper seeks to provide a systematic review of the multidisciplinary theoretical approaches to women on boards in order to understand the factors that hinder and facilitate the access of women to boards, to show the instruments that can be used to promote women to senior corporate positions, and to outline a research agenda suggesting gaps that still need to be filled.Research Finding/ResultsWomen's access to boards appears to be fragmented in research silos from a variety of areas, lacking a comprehensive view that provides instruments to overcome the barriers hindering the access of women to corporate boards. More in particular, this paper has found very little scientific analysis to understand what instruments can be the most efficient in eliminating barriers for women to reach boardrooms given different cultural environments.Theoretical ImplicationsThis paper aims to create a comprehensive framework for understanding the presence of women on boards and for indicating existing gaps to be filled by new research in the future. This framework will help future researchers in analyzing specific instruments and to measure their efficiency in eliminating gender imbalance. Depending on the approach taken for research, the theoretical backgrounds used vary. While on the supply side the predominant theories are gender role theory, gender self‐schema, and work–family conflict, the demand side is based on gender discrimination, human and social capital theory, resource dependence theory, and institutional environment theory.Practical ImplicationsThis research provides suggestions to typify causes and provide nuanced policy tools to promote women into leadership positions. Future lines of research are proposed to fill the gaps in understanding female representation in top management positions.