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This paper aims to study vertical gender segregation, which persists even in the fields where women are represented at junior levels. Academia is an example. Individual performance and lack of a critical mass do not fully explain the problem. Thus, this paper adopted an intergroup perspective (i.e. social identity and competition theories) to study how a majority (i.e. men) can influence the advancement of a minority (i.e. women).

The paper investigated promotions from associate to full professor in Italy. The original data set included all promotions from 2013 to 2016. To study intergroup dynamics, individual-level variables were analysed together with structural factors, such as gender representation and availability of resources.

The effect of gender representation was significant in that promotions were more likely when full professor ranks within academic institutions were men-dominated and associate professor ranks were women-dominated. Concurrently, the analysis of individual-level variables supported the existence of discrimination against women. The paper argues that the majority grants more promotions under the pressure of change; however, this does not contrast with discrimination at the individual level.

The paper focused only on one country. However, the framework can be applied in other contexts and used to study segregation based on factors other than gender.

This study explored gender segregation from a new perspective, highlighting the importance of the interplay between individual and structural factors. This interplay might be one of the causes of the slow progress of gender equality.

The study seeks to reduce the blurriness remaining around the value that HRM can bring to innovation in the specific context of start‐ups, it advocates that the early adoption of appropriate HRM practices, can act as a catalyst for innovation because they constitute a powerful means to systematically promote and facilitate employees' innovative behaviours.

In the aim of complementing the existing quantitative work, this paper employs a multiple case study approach to explore the role of HRM in fostering employees' innovative work behaviour in four Tunisian tech companies.

The study found substantial support for the importance of establishing a work environment for learning where employees can build their innovative capacities by upgrading their knowledge and skills through both formal and informal methods. Work autonomy and freedom are found to be essential parts of this environment. Workspace design that takes into account employees' comfort and the collaborative nature of their work, also stands out as a major contributor to innovative work behaviour.

The adopted qualitative approach enabled a grasp of the less apparent aspects underpinning the HRM and innovation relationship in start‐ups. “Ownership of space” is revealed as a key element of the innovation-supportive work environment. By having a feeling of control on the workspace, employees can develop a sense of ownership towards the organisation which enhances their eagerness to exert innovation efforts. It also demonstrated that developing an overly creative workforce can turn into a source of stagnation which can be mitigated by cultivating “an environment for idea ownership”.