This 2009 study from Catalyst is an oldie but goodie. The conditions it describes are still very much a part of corporate America in 2015. This paper explains how to mitigate risk and break the “vicious cycle” of talent management systems and practices that disadvantage women. It explains how bias is introduced into talent management systems and contains citations of numerous studies that support the business case for correcting systems that have institutionalized this bias.
Cascading Gender biases, compounding effects: An Assessment of Talent Management Systems (Catalyst)