Purpose Understanding women’s career decisions and actions over time is crucial to eliminating systemic barriers in hotel leadership. The purpose of this study was to develop a hotel-specific, process-oriented model of women’s career advancement by examining the actions, sequences and conditions that shape their progression to executive leadership roles. Design/methodology/approach Using constructivist grounded theory, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 women hotel executives in the USA. Findings The career advancement model emerged from data analysis. Results reveal four cyclical career actions: gaining knowledge, developing a network, setting goals and mobility, with personal and organizational factors serving as boundary conditions of their trajectories. Research limitations/implications Theoretically, the study integrates individual, organizational and societal perspectives to explain women’s career progression. Practically, it provides actionable strategies for organizations, the industry and women seeking advancement. Originality/value By focusing on the actions women take, this study advances existing research on barriers and facilitators to leadership, offering a deeper understanding of how women circumvent organizational challenges.
Michelle Russen (Wed,) studied this question.