Mechanisms of inequality - Unequal access to organizational power and the gender wage gap

In this paper, we argue that women's limited access to managerial and supervisory positions in work organizations is a part of the explanation of gender wage inequality. Multi-level analyses conducted on a comprehensive Swedish data-set combining information on a large number of private-sector establishments and all their employees show that establishments' gender wage gaps are wider the stronger the male representation among organizational managers and supervisors, net of individuals' human capital and various organizational features relevant for wage-setting processes. Theoretical explanations focus on gender unequal outcomes of (i) general rules and policies decided at higher organizational levels and (ii) everyday decision-making and daily interaction between superiors and their subordinates.