Showing papers in "Gender in Management: An International Journal in 2008"

Narrative Methods for the Human Sciences

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Entrepreneurship and SMEs in Ethiopia: Evaluating the role, prospects and problems faced by women in this emergent sector

Abstract: Purpose – This paper attempts to identify the problem areas and developmental issues attached to women's entrepreneurship related to small medium enterprises (SMEs) particularly in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. It also attempts to devise certain stratagems for ensuring women's entrepreneurial growth and SMEs' advancement in the region.Design/methodology/approach – The study was conducted in two phases. The first phase attempted to identify the problem areas in terms of nature, needs, desire, motivations and problems of women entrepreneurs in Ethiopia by an extensive review of the existing literature. The second phase incorporated a ground survey and focused interviews with groups of female entrepreneurs for assessing the factors related to entrepreneurship. The data pertaining to these issues were collected using 90 personally administered “schedules” in eight areas in Addis Ababa on the basis of stratified sampling. Basic level statistical analysis was performed using SPSS statistical packag...

Barriers to career progression faced by women

Abstract: Purpose – This paper seeks to investigate barriers faced by women in acquiring higher positions in a Malaysian multinational oil companyDesign/methodology/approach – Data were obtained through a survey involving 78 executive women in the Malaysian oil company A structured questionnaire was used to gather data The study used gender role theory, which argues that women are viewed and treated unfavourably when they do not act according to their expected gender rolesFindings – Shows family structure and women's commitment to the family are the most significant barriers perceived by the executive women This research reveals that women in various job positions do not differ in their perceptions with regard to barriers they face for career progressionResearch limitations/implications – The study was conducted among executive women in one company only, hence it cannot be generalized to other oil companies in MalaysiaPractical implications – Provides evidence on family‐, organizational‐ and societal‐related

Work‐family culture in academia: a gendered view of work‐family conflict and coping strategies

Abstract: Purpose – The paper looks at the tensions and conflict between work and family life that arise from work intensification in higher education, in the particular context of Portuguese academe. Drawing on the concept of work‐family culture, the paper aims to discuss its influence on the level of work‐family conflict and the effectiveness of work‐family policies.Design/methodology/approach – The study was conducted in a Portuguese university. Data were collected from 32 in‐depth interviews with faculty members from different backgrounds and affiliations.Findings – The preservation of traditional gender roles in the family as well as a work‐family culture that is largely family‐unfriendly helps to understand the tensions and conflict between academic work and family life. These tensions are mainly felt by women particularly mothers of dependent children. The data also suggest that work‐family policies are fruitless unless they are supported by a positive work‐family culture.Research limitations/implications – ...

Workaholism, work stress, work‐life imbalance: exploring gender's role

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine potential differences between male and female workaholics in relation to work stress and work‐life imbalance; also to test for gender as a moderator in the relation between workaholism with work stress and work‐life imbalance.Design/methodology/approach – An exploratory approach was used to examine employees on workaholism, work stress, and work‐life imbalance. A separate variances t‐test tested gender differences in the study variables. Hierarchical regression analyses tested the potential moderator effect of gender on the work stress‐workaholism and work‐life imbalance‐workaholism relations.Findings – It was found that work stress and work‐life imbalance correlated with workaholism, regardless of gender. Gender did not moderate the relations between workaholism with work stress and work‐life imbalance.Research limitations/implications – Limited generalizability between cultures was a limitation; future research should collect data from diverse races. Rel...

Diversity management discourse meets queer theory

Abstract: Purpose – The paper's aim is to examine how diversity management discourse reproduces heteronormative essentialist notions of identity in organisations.Design/methodology/approach – This is a critical analysis of diversity management discourse that draws upon concepts, frames and the language of queer theory and insights from social identity construction to offer an alternative approach to reconceptualising diversity management. The key question of the paper is: what are the conceptions of identity underpinning the diversity management discourse and how do they reproduce heteronormativity?Findings – The paper unveils the reproduction of binaries in diversity management discourse. Possible counter strategies from queer theory are proposed to alter the diversity management discourse.Originality/value – This paper offers a first reading of diversity management discourse against the grain from a queer perspective and offers possible points of departure for altering diversity management discourse.

Leader evaluations: a new female advantage?

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine sex effects in evaluations of transformational and transactional leaders.Design/methodology/approach – A total of 459 part‐time (evening) MBA students, most of whom worked full‐time, read a vignette of either a male or female leader who exhibited either a transformational or transactional leadership style and then evaluated the leader's behavior.Findings – Female‐transformational leaders received more favorable evaluations than male‐transformational leaders, especially from female evaluators. However, evaluations of transactional leaders did not differ according to leader sex, and male evaluators did not evaluate male and female leaders of either style differently.Research limitations/implications – Evaluators were enrolled in a part‐time graduate program in management; hence, results may not be generalizable to other populations. In addition, the study focused on evaluation of hypothetical rather than actual leaders. The results suggest a female advantage...

Still a man's world

Abstract: Purpose – Although qualified women are entering professional and managerial ranks within organizations, they continue to have difficulties in advancing their careers. It has been suggested that the biggest obstacle to women's career advancement lies in the attitudes, biases and prejudices of their male colleagues and their organizational cultures. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship of perceptions of organizational bias among managerial and professional women and their work satisfactions and levels of psychological well‐being.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 215 women, a 67 percent response rate, using anonymously completed questionnaires. Respondents worked for a large Turkish bank that had offices in several cities.Findings – Women reporting greater perceptions of bias indicated less job satisfaction, lower levels of work engagement and higher levels of job stress; perceptions of bias were not related to intentions to quit however. In addition, women reporting ...

Translating a management concept: diversity management in Denmark

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this study is to understand how the concept of diversity management is translated and adapted into the Danish societal context. The authors therefore seek to answer these questions: to what extent do larger Danish companies experience a need to practice diversity management? Do they also have specific diversity policies? And how do these Danish companies discursively construct and manage diversity?Design/methodology/approach – The authors surveyed 100 Danish firms and performed a discourse analysis of two frontrunner firms' diversity documents.Findings – The Danish firms in the survey experienced a need for diversity management, but were somewhat reluctant to introduce diversity policies. The two frontrunner firms drew on a discourse of diversity as a business case intertwined with a discourse of social responsibility with focus on helping minority groups having difficulties accessing the job market. The findings indicate that concepts must be translated for the local context in o...

Rural women entrepreneurship within co‐operatives: training support

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to appraise rural women entrepreneurs, running co‐operatives in Greece. The paper seeks to examine the effects of training support on their entrepreneurial skills and attitudes, co‐operatives' viability and growth prospects, and work‐family balance.Design/methodology/approach – An evaluation research was conducted in which 104 rural women members of co‐operatives, who had participated in a specific training program contributed. Anonymous questionnaires were used to collect data on participants' perceptions of the effects of the training intervention. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis and intercorellations were employed in analysing the data.Findings – The data illustrate that participants perceived benefits in terms of skill improvements, i.e. identification and capturing of business opportunities, effective co‐operation and flexibility in decision making and more positive attitudes towards entrepreneurship. In addition, perceptions related to the development a...

The only way is up?: An examination of women's “under‐achievement” in the accountancy profession in the UK

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the reasons for the apparent “under‐achievement” of mothers working in accountancy, even when at similar levels of qualification to those of fathers.Design/methodology/approach – Analysis of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales membership dataset was carried out, as well as semi‐structured work‐life interviews with ten male and ten female chartered accountants with children.Findings – The paper finds that women do not progress in accountancy to the same extent as men, and earn considerably less. The qualitative evidence suggests that some residual gender discrimination is still present, but more important are the difficulties in combining paid employment with family responsibilities, particularly for those in higher‐level positions. Part‐time and flexible working carries with it a penalty in relation to both earnings and organisational status. The interviews do provide some evidence of change, however.Practical implications – While m...

Thinking the multiple in gender and diversity studies: Examining the concept of intersectionality

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the concept of intersectionality In recent management writing, a vocabulary has been introduced which enacts concepts such as assemblages, multiplicity, rhizomes, and becoming Such a vocabulary is helpful when revising the theoretical models used in gender research Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on this fluid mode of thinking, which is fundamentally indebted to a process thinking that favours becoming and change over stability and fixed entities as the primary analytical categories, the concept of intersectionality is discussed Findings – It is suggested that intersectionality perspectives, a concept developed to enable the analysis of co-existing and co-operating registers of knowledge and power, may inform gender and diversity studies and organization theory in general Rather than reducing all sorts of identities or subject-positions to a single plane, intersectionality perspectives conceive of identity as being derived from different registers functioning as shifting planes, at times operating detachedly from one another; in other cases directly overlapping and even clashing Practical implications – Intersectionality thinking is capable of influencing a variety of organizational and managerial practices Originality/value – The paper seeks to bridge process thinking, gender theory, and diversity management literature through introducing the concept of intersectionality as a helpful tool when thinking of organizational practice

Barriers to networking for women in a UK professional service

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the use of personal contact networks in the UK public relations sector, focusing on the barriers to networking identified by practitioners.Design/methodology/approach – Empirical research using qualitative methodologies of in‐depth interviews and repertory grids conducted with directors, managers and executives in seven UK public relations agencies.Findings – UK public relations practitioners in the study may face up to 17 barriers to networking drivers and actions. Three types of barriers emerged–psychological, situational and social. Female practitioners identified all 17 barriers to networking, whereas men identified seven.Research limitations/implications – An insight into the differences in men and women's networking experiences in a growing professional service, especially those negatively influencing their activities. Gender differences are identified and the apparent exclusion from power networks, especially of younger females.Practical implication...

Senior Careers in Retailing: an exploration of male and female executives' career facilitators and barriers

Abstract: Purpose – Retailing as a sector employs many women and serves a female‐dominated customer base. It also employs proportionately more women in management positions than in other occupational sectors. However, at senior levels, the proportion of women to men diminishes. This paper aims to examine the perceived facilitators and problems of senior retail managers' career development in order to see if it offers any insights for others to achieve senior managerial positions.Design/methodology/approach – The main research instrument was a quantitative questionnaire with 124 UK senior retail managers.Findings – The findings revealed that apparently more similarities than differences were reported by the men and women senior retail managers. These findings need to be treated with some caution however given that retailing operates in a strong masculine culture. Therefore, to assume that men and women encounter similar facilitators and problems ignores that they are being compared against a norm of male characteris...

Gender differences in leadership competencies, expatriate readiness, and performance

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role that gender differences play in evaluating perceptions of global competence, individual readiness for expatriate assignments and overall job performance.Design/methodology/approach – A total of 11 global leadership competencies and perceptions of expatriate readiness for international assignments, along with job performance are rated by self raters and supervisors.Findings – The results suggest mixed support for sex‐role stereotyping and role‐congruity theory (e.g., women will be rated lower than men for expatriate positions which have typically been held by men) and the similar‐to‐me hypothesis (supervisors will rate same‐sex subordinates higher than opposite‐sex subordinates).Research limitations/implications – The most interesting finding is that supervisors overall (and male supervisors in particular) rated women lower than men on perceptions of expatriate readiness for international assignments, while there were no differences in ratings ...

Critical perspectives in diversity and equality management

Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to draw conceptual links between the papers in this special issue, arguing that diversity and equality research is located within varying socio‐political, socio‐demographic and geo‐political contexts and should therefore be seen as fluid and subject to ongoing reformation.Design/methodology/approach – This paper provides a thematic and analytical review of six papers from the Gender, Diversity and Management track of the European Academy of Management Conference, held at HEC, Paris in May 2007.Findings – The paper draws out themes that transcend organisation and nation boundaries, showing how socio‐cultural and political location has an important bearing on gender and diversity work identities, constructions and ultimately, organisation development priorities.Practical implications – The paper seeks to encapsulate contemporary thinking in the discipline of equality and diversity management with specific focus on its interaction with the externalities of region, power, politics an...

Learning barriers in adopting ICT among selected working women in Malaysia

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this study is to identify learning barriers in information communication technology (ICT) adoption among working women in Malaysia. Regardless of gender, it would be advantageous for all individuals in today's society to acquire basic ICT skills. Despite significant growth in ICT professionals during the last two decades, there remains a gender imbalance, particularly in developing countries such as Malaysia.Design/methodology/approach – The study uses a self‐developed questionnaire to measure the learning barriers and ICT adoption. The survey instrument was developed from the constructs used in the individual innovativeness theory and theory of perceived attributes. The questionnaires were administered face‐to‐face to a total of 315 working women, who participated as respondents in this study.Findings – The findings revealed that the working women in Malaysia possess only average level of ICT skills. They seldom use the internet and e‐mail at their workplace or at home, they do n...

Mentoring and women managers: another look at the field

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a discussion of some salient research relating to mentoring for women managers.Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws mainly upon writing and research from the UK, USA, Canada and Australia to explore some of the issues that continue to be pertinent for the mentoring of women managers.Findings – The paper explores some of the early arguments promoting mentoring for women in the light of more recent research. From the literature, three key issues that have important implications for women in mentoring relationships are considered. These are identifying the nature and focus of mentoring relationships; managing cross‐gender mentoring and negotiating the power dimension that underpins the mentoring relationship.Practical implications – The paper provides a discussion of the practical implications of three key issues that are significant for women managers.Originality/value – The paper draws together work in the field and distils a number of issues and t...

Boards of directors and gender diversity in UK companies

Abstract: Purpose – This paper is an exploratory quantitative study aimed at providing the first overview of the incidence of female directors in UK companies, mapped against types of firms. It provides a unique quantitative perspective on the types of companies with boards on which female directors serve.Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative analysis of a newly constructed database based on data for all UK companies (using Companies House Financial Analysis Made Easy data) was carried out to explore overall data for board membership related to gender, resulting in a new typology to describe firms with female directors.Findings – The data supports earlier partial studies suggesting male dominance continues at senior levels. Although female directors represented one in four directors in UK firms, most companies remain male dominated. Women directors are generally found in smaller firms and only one in 226 of larger firms have a majority of female directors. The service sector remains the main focus for female...

The gender pay gap revisited: insights from a developing country context

Abstract: Purpose – While the gender pay gap has received considerable attention, the evidence from developing countries remains scant. The purpose of this paper is to examine the salience of a gender pay gap in a developing country context, through an empirical study of differentials in wages/salaries across gender in the banking, nursing and higher education sectors in Lebanon.Design/methodology/approach – A survey was designed and distributed to a sample of 168 employees drawn from a total of three major banks, five well‐known medical centers and two institutions of higher education. The survey questionnaires were supplemented by interviews with three women managers from each sector studied.Findings – The findings suggest that the gender pay gap is only salient in the higher education sector, although male and female employees in all three sectors perceive that there is no gender pay gap and discrimination is considered to be a salient issue only in the educational sector. Although not entirely expected, the fin...

Shared identity and strategic choice in dual‐career couples

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of a couple‐level shared identity as forming the basis for the development of dual‐career couples' strategies regarding involvement in work and family roles. A model is developed that is intended to help researchers in this area conceptualize the relationship between career choices and career progression between members of a dual career couple. Examining career development at the couple‐level extends one's understanding of how the decisions made by one member of the dyad influence the career of the other.Design/methodology/approach – In order to develop this model, the theories of cognitive interdependence and gender role ideology are examined and applied to the formation of a shared identity.Findings – Development of the model, as well as a review of the extant literature, revealed that career decisions in dual career couples are made at the level of the dyad.Practical implications – The findings demonstrate that organizations cannot view th...

Gender diversity in management: curvilinear relationships to reconcile findings

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of gender diversity (in executive boards and top management) on firm performance. To reconcile the inconsistent and non‐conclusive findings from previous studies, competing curvilinear relationships are theorized between gender diversity on boards and firm performance based on different theoretical backgrounds.Design/methodology/approach – The paper comprises a literature review and development of theoretical propositions.Findings – Curvilinear relationships were developed that may integrate different theoretical perspectives.Research limitations/implications – This paper provides theoretical support to reconcile the inconsistent and non‐conclusive findings from previous theoretical perspectives and empirical studies by proposing that competing recommendations from theoretical perspectives could be tested through curvilinear relationships.Practical implications – The propositions provide a strong argument for having more women in top management po...

Managing careers: experiences of successful women in the Chinese IT industry

Abstract: Purpose – This paper seeks to examine the career experiences of seven women who have developed successful careers in the Chinese information technology (IT) industry, focusing on the way they managed their careers and the implications this has for women's career theory in China.Design/methodology/approach – Personal narrative method is used to explore the women's cumulated experiences of career management in order to draw out their feelings and attitudes.Findings – Findings demonstrated convergence between western career theory and the situation of these successful Chinese women in IT, especially in family/career role management. Nevertheless, the paper argues that deeply embedded values in China encourage a rejection of planning and proactivity in women's career management resulting in a lack of applicability of western theory.Research limitations/implications – Findings are based on a small sample size. Personal narrative method is highly subjective and “contaminated” by selective recall of information ...

Equal, but different?: The impact of gender egalitarianism on the integration of female/male HR directors

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze how the status and functional responsibilities of female human resource (HR) directors vary cross‐nationally and how gender egalitarian cultural values affect role differences between female and male HR directors.Design/methodology/approach – A cross‐country comparison of HR directors involving 22 countries based on the 2004 Cranet survey.Findings – Consistent with the hypotheses, gender egalitarian values reduce sex‐role differences for strategic integration and for traditionally female‐stereotyped HR functions. However, there is no support for the notion that egalitarian values influence sex differences for male‐stereotyped HR functions. Since, the data indicate higher levels of involvement of female HR directors in male‐stereotyped HR functions in 12 out of 22 countries, unequal distribution of functional responsibility is interpreted as an indicator for sex differences in administrative workload.Originality/value – Macro cultural factors matter for sex...

Women leaders as agents of change in higher education organizations

Abstract: Purpose – This paper seeks to point out the relationship between women leadership and their role in the transformation of university organizations, on the basis of eight case studies analysed in the framework of a broader research on women who occupy high‐managerial posts in Spanish universities.Design/methodology/approach – Two of the eight cases studied are more deeply described and discussed in terms of the relationship among the organizational context in which these women leaders perform their managerial functions, the leadership styles that they deploy, as well as the transformations they promoted in critical moments of the organizations that they head.Findings – Even though the differences in all these aspects between the two cases studied do not allow a single and homogeneous “feminine style” of management to be identified, a flexible and adaptive common orientation in terms of leadership was found, which leads one to suggest that leadership style is not a relevant issue when managing loosely coupl...

Career counselling for women managers at mid‐career: Developing an autobiographical approach

Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to provide a framework for career counselling designed particularly to support the career development of mid‐career women managers. This approach is referred to as an autobiographical approach to career counselling. The practical application of the approach is described.Design/methodology/approach – The autobiographical approach draws upon social constructionism and narrativity. It was developed and applied together with 22 women managers. Various methods were used as narration tools.Findings – At mid‐career, women managers are often in a transition process in their career. They can be expected to benefit from counselling that focuses on their long work experience and from their willingness to make new career moves, and contributes to their own understanding of their strengths and motivation in their search for more meaning into their careers – and into life in general. The career autobiographies of women do not reflect the continuous, uninterrupted upward mobility that is tradit...

Is the glass ceiling kept in place in Sudan? Gendered dilemma of the work‐life balance

Abstract: Purpose – This paper has two‐fold objectives: first, it presents female managers' experience with family‐work dilemma. Second, it examines the priorities married female managers assign to the commitments of their dual roles and the support they received from their organizations.Design/methodology/approach – This study was based on a case study, using a qualitative approach and triangulation of methods. These include: interviews, observations, analysis of texts and documents and autobiography. In‐depth interviews were carried out with 26 male managers in senior posts and 22 female managers in senior and middle management levels in two Federal Ministries (Health and Education) located in Khartoum (the capital city of Sudan). The narrative style (story‐telling) was used to analyze the interview data.Findings – Results indicates that female managers interviewed give first priority to their families and secondary importance to their job. Married women managers who have children sought the assistance of others,...

Men, masculinities and flexible work in local government

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to establish the strongly entrenched connection between hegemonic masculinity and participation in full‐time employment. It subsequently examines the extent to which male flexible workers in local government represent a challenge to this orthodoxy.Design/methodology/approach – The paper reports on findings from interviews with 12 men and 13 women undertaking flexible work in a local government authority in Australia.Findings – It was found that while two of the male flexible workers articulate alternative discourses of masculine subjectivity dissociated from participation in full‐time work, the remainder demonstrate the continued centrality of a full‐time presence in the workplace to hegemonic masculinity.Originality/value – This paper argues that these findings are indicative of the continued dominance of masculinities in local government organisations.

The relationship between feminist/womanist identity and leadership styles of women managers in Turkey

Abstract: Purpose – To investigate how the perceived feminist/womanist identities of female managers in Turkey affect their leadership styles.Design/methodology/approach – Three main constructs were used to measure the relationship between feminist and womanist identity and leadership styles: womanist identity attitude scale, feminist identity composite scale, and GLOBE leadership scale. Data were collected by web‐based survey from the 102 female managers of large‐scale private sector companies in Turkey. Results were analyzed by regression analysis.Findings – The results of the study, gathered over a two‐month web‐based survey, show that the feminist/womanist approaches held by women influence a variety of leadership styles. While feminist approaches are inspiring and effective in team‐work, womanist approaches affect collaborative, participative, and visionary leadership styles.Research limitations/implications – Only female managers from large‐scale companies were included in the research; therefore, the results...