Participants Needed for a Research Study on Women Executives

Background

This research study is being conducted in order to develop a better understanding of the factors that contribute to the career derailment of female executives in Fortune 1000 companies. Career derailment occurs when a previously successful female executive in a senior executive position is fired, asked to resign, or is forced out of the organization. The results of this research will help individuals and organizations understand more about the factors that hinder and enable the success of female executives. This study is being conducted by Lynn Schmidt, a doctoral student at the Fielding Graduate University. Lynn has 22 years of experience in the learning and development profession within Fortune 500 corporations. Lynn is currently the Senior Vice President of Countrywide University at Countrywide Financial Corporation.

Study Participant Criteria

Females currently residing in the United States who, at the time of the derailment experience were employed by a Fortune 1000 company and were within three reporting levels of the CEO. These women will have experienced career derailment in the last 1 to 5 years.

Benefits of Participating

Participation will include an introductory conversation to describe the specifics of the study, and to learn about each individual’s background. Dissertation research participants will then be interviewed for further in-depth information at a time and location of their convenience. The participants’ names as well as their organizations will be anonymous; the information they share will be used without attribution or the mention of any individual or company. Should they wish, participants will have the opportunity to participate in a group conference call at the conclusion of the dissertation research study, during which the dissertation research results will be shared and discussed. Participants will be able to maintain their anonymity for this conference call. The women who participate in the study should find the process beneficial since it may help them understand more about their own leadership experiences.

How to Participate

You can volunteer yourself or recommend someone to participate. If one of the individuals you recommend is contacted, she will not be told who recommended her. The individual’s decision as to whether to participate or not will be kept confidential.

Please contact Lynn Schmidt at 303.618.8382 or lynnschmidt@tx.rr.com to participate in this study, or to recommend someone else to participate.