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Sammanfattning

This study examines how women in leadership positions with formal managerial responsibilities perceive their career opportunities in femaledominated and male-dominated industries. The aim of the study is to develop an understanding of the factors that influence women's career opportunities and the strategies women use to attain leadership positions. Using a qualitative approach, we conducted interviews with eight female respondents in leadership positions within both female-dominated and male-dominated industries. The study is limited to formal leadership positions held by middle managers with personnel responsibility. The respondents' classification as belonging to a female- or male-dominated industry is based on their own perceptions of the gender distribution among managers within their organizations. The study adopts an abductive approach and is analysed using theories and concepts such as doing gender, the gender system, homosociality, the glass ceiling, and the glass escalator. Previous research on female leadership, organizational structures, and working conditions has also been used to address the research questions.The findings show that women's career opportunities are influenced by organizational structures, gender norms, working conditions, and informal networks and relationships. The women describe leadership in female dominatedindustries as generally being more accessible, while men still tend to hold the highe stand most influential positions. In male-dominated industries, women more clearly experience a greater need to prove their competence and adapt to existing leadership norms. The findings also reveal that informal networks and relationships play a significant role in opportunities for career advancement and that women develop various strategies to manage expectations. Overall, the study demonstrates that women's opportunities to attain and perform in leadership positions are shaped not only by individual performance and competence but also by organizational and social structures that influence which opportunities are created and how they can be utilized in practice.