Gender, mentoring and social capital in the National Health Service (NHS) in Scotland, UK

This edited book chapter investigates the role of gender, mentoring and social capital and contributes to literature about the career development of women in senior management roles in the National Health Service of the UK. It draws on a doctoral study of senior-level managers in a Scottish NHS Board. The data collected are: (i) documentary; (ii)quantitative; and (iii) qualitative. The quantitative data are collected through questionnaires, while the source of qualitative data is in-depth semi-structured interviews. The doctoral study is embedded within an interpretivist and feminist paradigm. Although access to mentoring and social capital was seen as likely to enhance the progression of females to senior managerial roles, gendered work family expectations, gendered culture, normative performances of gendered senior management were identified as obstacles in advantages of mentoring and social capital. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only piece of work investigates the role of mentoring and social capital in managing gender diversity at the managerial positions of the NHS.