Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Management

Advisor

Teresa Lao

Abstract

Gender disparity in the United States automotive industry is a pervasive problem, and the most significant gender gap is in critical decision-making positions. This study addressed diversity management, career planning, and women’s career advancement in the United States automotive industry. The quantitative correlational study aimed to investigate how diversity management and career planning are related to women’s advancement in the United States automotive industry to improve the representation of women in management and senior-level positions. The gender gap in management was examined through the organizational justice theory and grounded by the glass ceiling metaphor. The sample was 92 full-time employees of a mid-Atlantic region automotive company. Data were collected through SurveyMonkey using the Perceived Facilitators to Career Advancement Scales, the Perceived Barriers to Career Advancement Scales, and the Job Descriptive Index Scales. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the data. The research questions addressed the individual and combined relationship between diversity management and career planning to career advancement. The results indicated a significant relationship between the linear combination of diversity management and career planning to the advancement of women. The individual relationship between career planning and career advancement was found to be significant. However, there was no significant relationship between diversity management and career advancement. The implication for positive social change is that the study provided collective baseline data on the women’s advancement in the automotive industry. As a result, this study expands current knowledge about women in male-dominated industries in the United States.

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