Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling: 8 Studies Every AAPI Professional Should Know
You work hard. You deliver results. You go above and beyond. But when it comes to leadership opportunities, something invisible seems to block your path.
You’re not alone—and there’s a name for it: the bamboo ceiling.
Coined by Jane Hyun, this term describes the unseen barriers that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) face in the workplace, especially when it comes to advancing into leadership roles. It’s not about lacking skills. It’s about how those skills are seen—or rather, not seen—through a Western lens that doesn’t always recognize quiet leadership, humility, or non-linear career paths.
So what’s actually happening here? What’s getting lost in translation between cultural values and corporate norms?
To answer that, let’s look at what the research says.
Below are 8 powerful studies that dig into the data, challenge the assumptions, and help us better understand why the bamboo ceiling still exists—and what we can do about it.
1. Why East Asians but Not South Asians Are Underrepresented in Leadership
Jackson Lu, MIT | 2019
East Asians are often perceived as less dominant than their South Asian peers, which negatively impacts how they’re seen as leaders—despite equal competence. This research reveals that cultural expectations around modesty and deference, when read through a Western lens, are mistaken for lack of drive.
2. STAATUS Index 2023
The Asian American Foundation | 2023
Asian Americans continue to face high levels of invisibility and discrimination—especially in the workplace. The STAATUS Index found that many Americans still view Asians as perpetual foreigners, which undermines belonging, limits access to leadership, and reinforces exclusion at every level.
3. Asian Representation on Fortune 1000 Boards
Ascend Pinnacle, KPMG | 2022
Despite being one of the most educated demographics, Asian Americans hold only 4% of board seats in Fortune 1000 companies. The study highlights a critical perception gap—executive potential is often overlooked because leadership is still narrowly defined by Western norms.
4. A Social Network Perspective on the Bamboo Ceiling
Jackson Lu, MIT | 2021
Analyzing over 54,000 law graduates, this study found that East Asians had less centrality in peer networks—making it harder to access influence, mentorship, and visibility. Even when credentials were strong, their relative distance from power structures hindered advancement.
5. Good Workers—Not Leaders
Association of Asian American Investment Managers (AAAIM) | 2022
75% to 90% of respondents reported that Asians are seen as reliable, diligent workers—but not as leaders. This stereotype traps Asian professionals in execution roles while others are chosen to lead, regardless of actual performance or contribution.
6. AAPI Data | Momentive Poll: 2023 Diversity in America
Momentive + AAPI Data | 2023
41% of AAPI professionals reported experiencing discrimination in the workplace—particularly in hiring and promotions. The study highlights the disconnect between public commitments to DEI and the actual lived experience of Asian American employees.
7. Asian American and Pacific Islander Faculty and the Glass Ceiling
New Directions for Higher Education | 2019
Among faculty in higher education, AAPIs are the least likely racial group to be promoted into administrative or executive roles. Despite strong academic credentials, structural biases and racialized expectations continue to block advancement.
8. Asian Americans Are the Least Likely Group in the U.S. to Be Promoted to Management
Harvard Business Review | 2018
Despite being perceived as high-performing, Asian Americans are the least likely group to be promoted from individual contributor to manager. This study reveals that bias around “executive presence” continues to filter who is seen as promotable.
So… What Now?
The bamboo ceiling isn’t about ability—it’s about visibility. It’s about the leadership archetypes we reward, and the cultural frameworks we’ve inherited but rarely interrogated.
Asian confidence, leadership, and excellence are not broken. They’re just being filtered through the wrong lens.
If this resonates, my book Big Asian Energy is available for pre-order—and it dives even deeper into how cultural patterns shape our careers, confidence, and sense of belonging.
When you pre-order, you’ll also get access to the exclusive Big Asian Energy bundle, which includes bonus materials to help you show up with clarity, power, and presence—without abandoning your culture to do it.
Pre-order now: https://www.bigasianenergy.com/book-bonus-bundle
It’s time we stop asking Asian professionals to change who they are.
It’s time we start changing how we see leadership.
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