Breaking The Concrete Wall: The Challenges Facing African-American Women In The Workplace

Abstract

The glass ceiling is a term that refers to the barriers that prevent women from attaining top corporate positions within a company. This business term is used to describe the difficulties that all women face. In particular, the barriers that inhibit black women from advancing in their careers are so significant that they have been described as a concrete wall rather than a glass ceiling. The purpose of this research is to identify factors that exist within the corporate hierarchy that have led to the glass ceiling and to compare these factors with those that contribute to the concrete wall and negatively affect African-American women from attaining top managerial positions. Through an extensive literature review, this research intends to explain the work and efforts being done to reduce the disadvantages faced by black women.