Abstract

Women have made significant strides over the past half a century in terms of
advancements into the workforce. However, it is well-documented that women occupy
top executive positions in politics and industry much less frequently than men. Bias and
discrimination against professional females could take place when members of a society
hold certain stereotypes that are in contrast with the actual characteristics of these
women. These stereotypes can prevent females from achieving their goals as a result of
the expected social roles they have to uphold. This paper critically examined social role
theory and gender stereotypes to explain a deeper motive as to why women to some
extent are being underrepresented in leadership positions. Moreover, these literature
review provided a comprehensive overview of gender discrimination barriers to
leadership.