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• Mann, S. (1995). "Politics and power in organizations: Why women lose out." Leadership & Organization Development Journal 16(2): 9.

It is widely acknowledged that women are underrepresented in positions of authority within the public world of work. Women are not reaching the same level of achievement in their careers as their male counterparts. To understand why women have not been more successful in moving up in higher managerial positions, it is useful to examine the mechanisms through which power is acquired, maintained, and exercised in organizations. Some ways in which organizations balance power in favor of men are: 1. encouraging workers to spend long days at the office, making it difficult for women who have family commitments, 2. scheduling meetings at inaccessible times, 3. talking about matters that the woman cannot easily share in, and 4. having inadequate or no child-care facilities. The discussion gives women's views of organizational politics suggesting that they fail to recognize the importance of political competence. It is argued that men must recognize that it is in the interests of the organization to allow women to advance to top management positions.