Very little is known about the executive women in management of the India’s service sector. The service sector’s human capital contributes nearly half of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of India. Globalization needs this human capital and women managers in the labor market are increasing with the demand for talented human resource. Women occupy different organizational ranks from the front line to management. However, very few women are present in senior level positions of service sector organizations. The management board, particularly of the banking, finance and hospitality industry, has newly seen the first ever women in their board of directors. Women managers easily occupy entry and middle level positions, although they encounter challenges in reaching management roles from within and outside of an organization. This paper highlights the organizational, societal and individual level barriers that exist for women in three service sector organizations. Finally, the paper suggests organizational policies for human resource management and recommendations to encounter the disproportionate representation of women in the globalized workforce.

India’s human capital is advantageous to international markets looking to outsource labor at a low-cost with the added advantage of having a large number of English-speaking individuals in the labor market (Taylor and Bain, 2010). With a population of 1.2 billion in India, women comprise 48.5% of the total population (India Census, 2011). Women constitute about 31.2% of economically active individuals in the population (ILO, 2009). Research also states that women in India perform particularly well in political empowerment, but are low on indicators of health, education and economic participation (WEF, 2011). The demand for an increasingly educated and skilled workforce has led to a spike in women’s entrance to higher education (University Grants Commission, 2011). However, academic success does not ensure that women will reach a higher rank in any service sector. For India to be utilizing its particular human capital potential in such a disparate manner is impacting the economy not only by leaving women out of the organized workforce but also resisting their leadership in organizations. There are more women in higher education from urban and rural areas that have joined the workforce.

Organizational Behavior Journal, Obstacles to Career Advancement, Executive women in management, Different organizational ranks, Management and recommendations.