GENDER EQUITY IN BUSINESS SCHOOLS: What Has Been Promoted?

Resumo

The object of this research was to assess how gender discrimination is perceived by women students in Brazilian universities. It is expected that this paper can improve the gender equity discussion, specifically the glass ceiling phenomenon, exploring the gap between the women in university and those in job market. We have interviewed 33 female students of four universities in Rio de Janeiro. The interviews were transcribed and submitted to discourse analysis. We found out that discrimination occurs both by male professors and students, in classrooms, informal groups and university sports games. The reference model cited by interviewees from both universities have neutral characteristics in relation to gender typology academic described. This implies the beginning of a positive change of mindset, since previously jobs favored selection of male gender traits such as instrumentality. Instead, the interviewees value justice and ethics, for example. Considering that the educational environment reproduces society, managers should start concerning about what has been really promoted in business schools and why there is a gap between discourse and practices in those environments.