Between bytes and bricks: Gender cultures in work contexts

In recent decades the western world has witnessed a huge increase in female labour market participation and training. Yet numerous studies report the persistence of inequalities and segregation between women and men in organi zations. Analysis of the relationship between gender and organization needs to shift from numerical composition to more detailed examination of how ge nder is constructed in work contexts. This article discusses the results of a research study on men and women in mainly male-dominated organizations. It shows that gender is a cultural construction and is therefore produced a nd negotiated in different ways in different organizations. For this purpos e, comparisons have been made of the symbolic order of gender of four organ izational cultures characterized by profound differences in modes of produc tion, workforce features and cultural traditions.