Swiss organizations under pressure by the societal expectation of equality between men and women?

Abstract

The presentation aims to highlight the relationship between organizations and society within the specific topic of equality between men and women. Meyer and Rowan (1977) assume that organizations must react to environmental expectations in order to ensure their own survival. In Switzerland one can observe a societal expectation with regard to gender equality. The question is therefore, how, why and through which channels do organizations perceive these demands and in what way do they react and try to legitimize themselves within this topic. What other expectations compete with this request? A multi-level mixed methods research design applied to two profit and two non-profit-organizations in Switzerland will provide answers to these questions.