PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

This article examines the extent to which people’s partners’ social capital and processes that take place at the inner couple level influence gender-specific probabilities of obtaining a leadership position. First, well-established theories are examined that offer different assumptions as to how a partner’s resources can influence occupational career. This article adds to research by applying a relational perspective on partners’ resources beyond looking only at the individual’s and partner’s resources. To resolve the research question, data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (waves 1984 to 2010) were used in a longitudinal design employing event history analysis (N=11,050 men and N=8,988 women). The results show different outcomes for women and for men. For women, the relation of resources between partners plays a significant role in their promotion to the top, espe-cially their own comparative advantage; whereas for men, their own resources—independent of women’s resources—seem to be more relevant.