Do personality traits indirectly affect women's advancement?

This study first assesses if women's personality traits of ambition, masculinity, and adaptability are indirectly related to their managerial advancement through training and development and work hours (the mediators). It then examines if personality traits (the moderators) influence the way in which women use training and development and work hours. A confidential, voluntary survey was mailed to 1,346 women working in banks. The results provide evidence that masculinity and adaptability are related to women's advancement through training and development (the mediator). The results also indicate that personality traits can function as moderators, by showing that ambition weakens the positive effect of training and development on women's managerial advancement, and that masculinity and adaptability strengthen the relationship between work hours and managerial advancement. Implications for women and banks are discussed.