Incorporating a gender approach in the hospitality industry: Female executives' perceptions.

Highlights • This article responds to the demand for a more holistic perspective on the analysis and evaluation of the glass ceiling in the hospitality industry. • This work contributes to the understanding of invisible barriers to women's career progress in the hospitality industry. • New theoretical approach "Gender as a Social Structure in the Hospitality Industry" based on Risman's "Gender as a Social Structure" model. • Results show the hospitality industry as a traditional sector with predominantly male values that have a direct effect on roles held by women. • Improving women's participation in decision-making positions needs the collaboration of public, private and educational institutions. Abstract Despite the increasing presence of women in the hospitality labour market, empirical evidence shows persistent horizontal and vertical segregation, as well as a pay gap - a situation that perpetuates lost opportunities for the industry. Based on Barbara Risman's model "Gender as a Social Structure" as a leading reference, the paper provides a gender based approach for the hospitality industry. Risman's three levels of analysis (Individual, Interactional and Institutional) are completed with an Intersectional level, conforming the "Gender as a Social Structure in the Hospitality Industry" model. This model aims at identifying factors that cause discrimination among female executives. The methodology is based on thirty semi-structured in-depth interviews with female executives in the Spanish hospitality industry. The results show that the influence of self-imposed barriers, gender roles, problems associated with work-life conciliation and issues related to gendered organizations are the main factors that hinder achieving gender equality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]