Social Capital and Women Superintendents' Candidacy

Research not only identifies a proportionately small percentage of women superintendents across the country, but also “Old Boys Networks” comprised mostly of White male superintendents and search consultants that can be exclusionary toward women candidates. This study not only examined the influence of existing social capital on women superintendent candidates before and during candidacy, but also sought to understand their unique experiences accessing and utilizing social capital in light of potentially closed superintendents’ networks. The study was designed as a representative single-case study with two embedded units of analysis. Ten women superintendents from Western New York were selected and then divided into a “more experienced” or “less experienced” group based on time elapsed since obtaining their first superintendencies. Utilizing semi-structured interviews and document analysis of resumes and letters of reference, the following conclusions emerged: -Social capital has grown increasingly important over time, it most often came in the form of information, and it most often came from internal colleagues. -Participants did not believe they experienced the negative effects of the “Old Boys Network,” they followed varying paths to the position, and they delayed their career plans to raise children.

Grantor dc:publisher

State University of New York at Buffalo

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Griesmer, John

Contributors dc:contributor

• Stone-Johnson, Corrie
• Educational Leadership and Policy

• educational administration

Statement dc:rights

• Users of works found in University at Buffalo Institutional Repository (UBIR) are responsible for identifying and contacting the copyright owner for permission to reuse. University at Buffalo Libraries do not manage rights for copyright-protected works and cannot assist with permissions.
• Copyright retained by author.

Language dc:language

eng

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10477/78017

OAI record oai:identifier

https://ubir.buffalo.edu/oai/request?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=qdc&identifier=oai%3Aubir.buffalo.edu%3A10477%2F78017