Previous research has thoroughly explored how informal networks contribute to creating and reinforcing gender inequality in the workplace. However, it has only begun to shed light on the micro-level processes that lead to gendered networks/networking. Drawing on an ethnographic study in the Chinese R&D unit of a Finnish company, this paper delves into the gender-ing process of a specific networking practice in China – cigarette smoking – using the topographies of practice framework. By examining the act of smoking, the smoking room, and the smoking circle, our study illustrates how these elements collectively reinforce and perpetuate a societal-level ideology of masculinity, resulting in the exclusion of women from critical workplace networks. Additionally, we propose a model that extends beyond the Chinese context, depicting the perpetuation of gendered practices through routine, unremarkable, and situated activities in everyday practices. This study highlights the role of everyday interactions and subtleties as well as informal, material spaces in perpetuating the gender order within organizations. Moreover, it advocates for a multidisciplinary agenda that could be potentially valuable for theorizing gender in management studies.
