Mabel Abraham

As an economic and organizational sociologist, I investigate the drivers of workplace gender inequality in my research.

I am the Barbara and Meyer Feldberg Associate Professor of Business at Columbia Business School and a faculty affiliate of the Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. Center for Leadership and Ethics.

I also serve on the Academic Advisory Council for the Columbia Law School’s Center for Gender and Sexuality Law ERA Project.

about me

Latest Research

Gender Differences in Climbing up the Ladder: Why Experience Closes the Ambition Gender Gap

Women remain underrepresented in the highest positions in America, representing only 11% of Fortune 500 CEOs, 31% of board members, 25% of U.S. Senators, and 24% of Governors. This paper uses a mixed-methods approach to show how professional experience serves as one pathway for closing the gender gap in pursuing higher positions.

The (Re)Production of Inequality in Evaluations: A Unifying Framework Outlining How Gender and Race Shape Evaluative Outcomes

Evaluations govern the disbursal of critical resources and opportunities across professional contexts. However, these processes are often inequitable, fortifying entrenched social and economic disparities. This paper develops a unifying theoretical framework that uncovers the common categories of drivers that exacerbate (and mitigate) inequality.

Congruence Between Leadership Gender and Organizational Claims Affects the Gender Composition of the Applicant Pool: Field Experimental Evidence

Companies increasingly make claims that they are committed to social issues (e.g., diversity). This paper uses a field experiment to examine how prospective job applicants respond differently to these claims based on the gender composition of the company’s leadership.

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Barbara and Meyer Feldberg Associate Professor of BusinessColumbia Business School