Glass Escalator: The Investigation of Gender Dominance in the Appointments of the Education Department of Ilam

The present study aims at identifying factors affecting glass escalator. In order to do this research, a qualitative method based on grounded theory was adopted. The research population included all experts in the Education office of Ilam. Snowball sampling was used to find the required sample and it continued until the theoretical saturation was achieved. 16 interviews were carried out with experts who were all familiar with the appointment procedure in this context. As a result of the interviews, primary themes were coded. The results confirmed the existence of glass escalator in this context. The causal factors include organizational, social, economic, political factors, women’s characteristics, office work characteristic, masculinity, the traditional structure of management, men’s network support, culture, religious teachings, stereotypical beliefs, difficulties in work with women, the rule of patriarchal culture.  This phenomenon leads to women’s inefficiency which in turn results in individual, social, and organizational consequences.