What explains the persistent underrepresentation of women in leadership, despite their sustained participation and advancement in the labor market? This panel invites participants to critically examine this question through an integrated analytical lens that connects psychological, organizational, and sociocultural dimensions of career development.

Bringing together three complementary perspectives, the session is grounded in Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and related frameworks in Work and Organizational Psychology. It advances the argument that women’s leadership trajectories cannot be reduced to individual-level explanations, but must be understood within broader systems of power, institutional arrangements, and cultural norms that shape access to opportunities and define what is recognized as leadership.

The first contribution focuses on the psychological foundations of career development, examining how constructs such as self-efficacy, self-perceptions, and locus of control influence career decision-making, persistence, and leadership aspirations. The second addresses organizational practices and leadership development initiatives—including mentoring, sponsorship, professional networks, and training programs—critically analyzing their effectiveness when not accompanied by structural and institutional change. The third explores how organizational culture and value systems regulate expectations, legitimize leadership behaviors, and reproduce or challenge gendered patterns of career progression.

By articulating these dimensions, the panel advances a systemic and evidence-based understanding of women’s leadership development as an emergent phenomenon shaped by the dynamic interplay between agency and structure. It contributes to advancing theoretical debates while informing more inclusive, context-sensitive, and sustainable organizational practices.