| Abstract: | This essay examines how news discourses of former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina shaped her professional persona throughout her tenure with the company. At a time when only eight out of the Fortune 500 companies had female CEOs, she was often identified as the most powerful female CEO in the United States. This high-profile position brought with it much media attention and focus on her gender, her performance, and her “visibility.” Through a Foucauldian analysis of The Wall Street Journal, I illustrate how Fiorina's public identity was shaped and disciplined through the popular press and explore the opportunities for resisting certain subject positions. This analysis reveals the complex relationships between organizations and broader social discourses that involve gendered workplaces, glass ceilings, and even the role of the visual in organizational life. |
