Gender differences in explanations for relocating or changing organizations for advancement

This study examined gender differences in job change for advancement from four major sets of explanations: those of male-dominated environments, advancement opportunities, family roles and responsibilities, and attitudes to mobility. Survey data were collected from 4112 Australian managers and professionals at Time 1 to measure the predictors and collected again from 2211 respondents (1020 women, 1191 men) two years later to measure the criterion variables. Controlling for Time 1 job change and demographic variables, regression analyses showed, as expected, that gender moderated the prediction of job change by the four sets of factors. Women relocated and changed organizations for advancement more than men when 2 years earlier they had been in male-dominated environments (did not work with a woman manager, lack of EEO policy) and had a greater willingness to relocate or change organizations to advance. Unexpectedly, gender differences in job change were less predicted by family circumstances and advancement opportunities than by male-dominated environments and attitudes to mobility. The reasons for differences in the prediction of men's and women's job changes for advancement were discussed.