Chinese Journal of Sociology ›› 2014, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (5): 127-146.

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The Critical Mass Effect of Women Leaders’ Percentage on Gender Discrimination in Organizations：An Empirical Study Based on “Survey on Chinese Women’s Social Status, Phase Ⅲ”

MA Dongling，Women’s Studies Institute of China，AllChina Women’s Federation；ZHOU Lüjun，Department of Sociology，China Women’s University   

  • Online:2014-09-20 Published:2014-09-20
  • Contact: MA Dongling E-mail:madongling@wsic.ac.cn
  • Supported by:
    This paper is the joint achievement of“Survey on Social Status of the Chinese Women in the New Era”，sponsored by the Key Projects of National Social Science Foundation of China(10@zh020)；“Research Project on the Growth Pattern and Measures for the Development of HighLevel Women Talents”，sponsored by the Key Projects of Philosophy and Social Sciences Research，Ministry of Education (10JZD0045-1)；“Research on Gender Discrimination in Organizations”，supported by the Women’s Studies Institute of China (2014).

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Abstract: Using data from“Survey on Chinese Women’s Social Status, Phase Ⅲ”, this article examines the effectiveness of the quota system, and the relationship between the percentage of women in the leadership and the level of gender discrimination in an organization. Through a multivariate statistical analysis, it tests the hypothesis of the critical mass theory, that is, the situation of a certain social group within an organization would significantly improve if the percentage of the people belonging to that group exceeds a given threshold.
According to the research, when the percentage of women in the leadership of an organization reaches 30%, gender discrimination would fall dramatically, with gender discrimination index significantly decreased and gender inequality in hiring, promotion, job assignment, retirement and deputy position appointment reduced. Such effects are found with varying degrees in organizations from political, economic and academic circles, and in both institutions steered by the state and those not.
Findings of the research have not only built empirical grounds for the critical mass theory, but also had implications for policies that increase the percentage of women in the leadership. Further discussions of the research indicate that stateinitiated gender equality ideology performs the best in the political circle, and that political organizations have stronger willingness and ability to pursue social equality, social justice and social integration than other organizations. The differences of critical mass effect in state organizations and nonstate organizations serves to prove the effectiveness of state intervention in promoting gender equality. As women’s movements in China are deeply influenced by the government, a reevaluation of this new socialist tradition is highly necessary.

Key words:  critical mass, quota, organization, gender discrimination