The Gap - A Scholarly Perspective of Executive Women (Paperback)

Clarion Review Dr. James's relevant and useful research on women in leadership roles is thoroughly supported. The Gap: A Scholarly Perspective of Executive Women, by Dr. Wendy James, is a detailed research study that examines how women experience the intersection of career, marriage, and family. This topic is incredibly relevant: as the number of women in leadership roles grows, so too does the interest in understanding the effects of their professional success. Dr. James examines previous research theories (such as spillover theory) and societal patterns (such as the rise of dual-income families), and she examines interviewees' responses through these lenses. Dr. James shares six themes about executive women's lives that were revealed through her research, one being that careers have a positive influence on self, marriage, and children. These themes overturn the "assumption of conflict" that forms the basis for preceding theories-and make the results of the research all the more important. The participant interview transcripts in the appendix are the most engaging part of the text for nonacademic readers. Executive women themselves will find the final chapter, "Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations," most relevant. Melissa Wuske