MBA & Master Glossary
Broken Rung
Definition
The „Broken Rung“ refers to the McKinsey-identified phenomenon that women are significantly less likely than men to be promoted at the very first step – from individual contributor to manager. On average, only 80 women are promoted for every 100 men. The gap widens with every career step and is more important for the leadership imbalance than the classic glass ceiling. An MBA is considered one of the most effective tools to overcome the broken rung.
Example: "The broken rung shows up at the first promotion into middle management."
Why this matters for your MBA
"Broken Rung" is one of the terms you will come across when comparing MBA and Executive MBA programmes in Germany, Austria and Switzerland — in admission requirements, accreditation details or programme descriptions. On mba.de you can check how individual business schools handle it and compare programmes independently.
Source: mba.de – independent comparison portal since 2003.