ABSTRACT This study examines the perceptions of meritocracy among female professors in Irish and UK business schools from a social identity perspective. Based on 27 in-depth interviews, we assess the complex interplay between the idealistic meritocratic values professed by academic institutions and the actual experiences of these women. We identify a significant tension experienced by female professors, who may find themselves juggling the demands of highly valued research-focused tasks and the less recognised but equally important non-promotable tasks like teaching, administrative work, and pastoral care. These tasks, though crucial for the functioning of higher education institutions, are frequently associated with women's gender roles and are not adequately valued in the traditional academic reward system. We introduce the concept of 'esteem permeability,' which addresses the discrepancy between attaining high-status positions and receiving the corresponding level of esteem or recognition, especially applicable to women in academia. our study highlights the need for a critical reassessment of academic meritocracy which encourages institutional innovation in the recognition of broader arrays of academic contributions.
