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Finance major Georgiana Pearson ’22 has been conducting research on the “glass ceiling phenomenon”: the intangible barrier preventing women from obtaining upper-level positions. Her research investigates the relationship between the glass cliff theory (when companies promote women during times of crisis, negatively reflecting on their performance and ultimately making them quit), company culture, and the size of a firm on female representation and percent of women in top management positions.
“Through this project I wanted to find the main variables that affect the percent of women in top management positions. My results conclude that company culture, female representation, the glass cliff theory, and the size of the firm all impact female representation throughout companies,” says Pearson, a student in the Honors College business track, who is also completing an internship with Equitable Advisors in New York City.
“This topic is interesting to me as a woman studying finance and accounting. Women make up about 47 percent of the overall labor force, but currently only account for 6.4 percent of CEOs in the Fortune 500 companies. Growing up, I did not feel I could reach a top management position in a company as a female. I want to find ways to make this more realistic for my generation and also younger generations,” she says.
Pearson is thankful for the opportunity to conduct research as an undergraduate, and in particular, appreciates the guidance of her advisor, Professor Mike Chao. “Dr. Chao has helped me through every step of my honors thesis project, and has inspired me to keep going, even when it is hard. His insight and knowledge have given me new perspectives on my current research. I have many future research ideas based on this thesis and would love to further this study.”
Currently enrolled in the University’s new 4+1 finance program, Pearson is on track to earn both her bachelor’s degree in finance and the MS in finance and financial services in only five years. “This will make me strongly competitive for career opportunities in my future,” she says.
