Flexibility and Fairness: Effects of the Network Form of Organization on Gender Equity in Life Science Careers

Why do women have more opportunities in some employment settings? I investigate how organizational form affects gender stratification among life scientists. I propose that firms governed by networks, rather than bureaucracies, allow for greater equity. Hierarchy and rules hide gender bias, while reliance on ties outside the organization provides transparency and flexibility. I analyze the careers of 2,062 U.S. life scientists and interviews with 41 scientists. I examine employment data by gender for two patterns: early entrance into the biotechnology industry and promotion within network and hierarchical organizations. Gender does not affect when a scientist enters the biotech industry but is related to promotion. Men are more likely to attain early supervisory-level positions across organizational settings. Female scientists are nearly eight times more likely to supervise in biotech firms than in more hierarchical settings. The two organizational forms—network and hierarchy—provide different employment experiences for female scientists.