Systematic review of the literature on the glass ceiling phenomenon in Spanish universities

Abstract

In the present article the authors carry out a systematic review of the literature on the phenomenon of the glass ceiling in Spanish universities. The analyzed period interval is a ten-year period and included the studies published in the main databases of indexed journals and official bodies. Three features of the analyzed studies are detected: 1) scarcity of empirical research, 2) studies of isolated cases and 3) lack of consensus on the causes of the phenomenon. The authors come to the conclusion that it is necessary to carry out for empirical studies at national level focused on the analysis of organizational barriers.