Revisiting the importance of representation and glass cliffs in predicting the selection of women to lead public sector organizations

Much literature explores the ways in which women lead and manage organizations, how female leaders are perceived by stakeholders, and whether having women at the top of organizations leads to different outcomes. Less attention has been given to identifying the conditions under which women are selected to lead. We compare expectations stemming from two distinct theoretical frameworks related to representative bureaucracy and the existence of glass cliffs. Using data from presidential hires at doctoral granting institutions of higher education in the United States, we find evidence for positive effects related to representation but limited support for glass cliffs.