Women In Senior Management Research Articles

The role of the support of top management in gender equality outcomes in higher education and research

In the past decade, there has been increasing attention globally to the institutionalisation of diversity management practices in research, development and innovation (RDI) organisations, as well as the necessity of addressing more effectively various forms of discrimination and inequalities, especially agendas of gender inequality. Although there is extensive research on the different forms, levels, and reasons for gender inequality in RDI organisations, relatively little research has examined how top management members perceive the importance of the former. Our research examines how gender equality outcomes might differ for higher education and research-performing organisations in Hungary when top management strategically supports gender equality. For this purpose, we use –among the indicators by which the European Union (EU) measures progress related to achieving Sustainable Developmental Goal #5 on Gender Equality– the gender employment gap, the gender pay gap, and positions held by women in senior management. We applied a quantitative approach, using an online questionnaire to survey forty-eight higher education institutions and research centres. Our findings build on a comparison of two subsamples; the first in which top management attributes strategic importance to gender equality, and the second in which this strategic approach is lacking. The results show that the «strategic» subsample can primarily be differentiated from the «non-strategic» subsample due to the former’s implementation of significantly more gender equality initiatives at the individual and cultural levels. Concerning initiatives on the structural and organisational level, no significant difference could be found. Furthermore, while a positive linear relationship was found between the number of gender equality practices and the number of positive gender equality outcomes, comparing gender equality outcomes in the two subsamples in more detail indicated fewer significant differences.

The Visibility of Women in Senior Management: A Research in Higher Education Institutions

İnsanoğlunun ilk günlerinden bu yana kadınlar toplumların gelişimi açısından sosyal hayatta aktif rol almış ancak buna karşın yönetimde yeteri kadar söz sahibi olamamış, otoriteyi elinde bulunduramamıştır. Ülke yönetiminde çeşitli dönemlerde kadın liderlere rastlanılsa bile Dünya’nın gelişim sürecinde kadın yöneticilerin güce sahip olma örnekleri çok azdır. Sanayi Devrimi ile çalışma yaşamındaki değişiklikler ve kadınların iş hayatına katılımı, binlerce yıldır kadınlara atfedilen rollerin yavaş yavaş değişimini hızlandırmıştır. Bu hareketliliğe rağmen günümüzde kadınların üst düzey yönetici olarak temsil edilme oranları çok düşüktür. Kültürel özellikler, toplumsal önyargılar, stereotipler kadınların çalışma hayatındaki kariyer serüvenleri üzerinde belirleyici olabilmektedir. Dünya’nın çoğu ülkesinde kadınların çalışma hayatına katılımının sağlanması, kadınların üst düzey pozisyonlarda erkekler ile eşit oranlarda temsil edilmesi amacıyla birtakım destekleyici politikalar mevcuttur. Diğer taraftan gerek özel sektörde gerekse kamu yönetiminde kadınların iş hayatında yükselmesinin önündeki engellerin ortaya çıkarılması amacıyla çalışmalar yürütülmektedir. Bununla birlikte cinsiyet ayrımcılığı sorununun çözümüne yönelik ulusal ve uluslararası projeler gerçekleştirilmektedir. Tüm bu farkındalık çalışmalarına rağmen kadınların tepe yönetiminde hak ettikleri pozisyonlarda yeteri kadar yer edinemediklerini söylemek mümkündür. Eğitim seviyesi yüksek, kariyer meslek alanlarında emek sahibi kadınların üst yönetimde daha fazla yer alması toplumlarda kadınların eğitime katılımı ve ekonomik kalkınmanın gelişimi konusunda tetikleyici bir unsur olarak değerlendirilmelidir. Bu araştırmada kadınların üst yönetimdeki rolleri ele alınmış, ülkemizdeki veriler derlenmiş ve kadınların üst yönetimdeki görünürlüğü üzerinde cinsiyet ayrımcılığının olup olmadığının ortaya çıkarılması amaçlanmıştır. Bununla birlikte Yükseköğretim Kurulu Üniversiteler listesinde yer alan 201 üniversitenin üst yönetim ve yönetici kadrolarındaki veriler cinsiyet bağlamında frekans analizi kullanılarak incelenmiştir. Araştırma kapsamında incelenen üniversitelerde üst düzey kadın yönetici oranlarının ve görünürlüğünün erkeklere göre düşük olduğu gözlemlenmiştir.

Regulation and the trickle-down effect of women in leadership roles

We use an event study design to provide evidence demonstrating how the trickle-down effect is influenced by the introduction of regulation on board gender diversity. In 2011, a new regulation was suddenly introduced for firms listed on the United Kingdom’s FTSE 350 index, the regulatory intervention put forward recommendations to increase the representation of women on the boards of FTSE 350 listed firms – the most critical recommendation was a voluntary target of having twenty-five percent of board positions held by women. We argue this change in regulation represents an exogenous shock, we utilize this shock to investigate how regulation influences the trickle-down of women’s representation from board level to senior management. We find evidence of a positive relationship between women on boards and women’s representation in senior management during the pre-regulation era – otherwise referred to as the trickle-down effect. However, the introduction of regulation had the unintended consequence of weakening the relationship between women on boards and women in senior management. Our results suggest that the trickle-down effect varies between different contexts and settings. We discuss the implications for research and practice.

Gender balance in the board of directors

Globally, men occupy more board seats than women. In this article the author is dealing with the issue of legislative gender quotas, which seems to be the fastest way to achieve gender balance on the boards. Also, the “comply or explain” governance system, meaning an approach to equality when all people should be treated similarly, regardless of prejudices, preferences, or historical disadvantages, unless particular distinctions can be justified.Controversial questions of racial diversity among female directors are mentioned. The gender pay gap on corporate boards, concerning differences between pay received by men and women for comparable work. And it appears to be dependent on several factors, including whether the company is in a male dominated industry and whether the female director is married or has children.Gender diversity can play an important role in supporting innovative activity and organizational change. That’s why inclusion of female directors has a direct and positive impact on a company’s profits and risk management. Women board directors also broaden a company’s market knowledge as well as raise its profile.Researches have found that women need to hold at least three board seats to create a “critical mass,” which can lead to better financial performance. Studies suggest that enterprises need to reach a critical mass of women in top positions in order to reap the benefits of gender diversity, such as improved governance. Reaching this threshold allows a minority to exert their influence and ensure their voice is heard.Summarizing all the above, we can name the following main results of this study: There are more women on boards and more boards with women. More boards are reaching a 30 per cent critical mass of women. All-male boards are on the decline, but they still exist. The enterprise survey shows that gender balanced boards are more likely to have enhanced business outcomes compared to those with fewer women on their boards. In addition when there is gender balance on the board, the enterprise is more likely to have women in senior management and in top executive positions. Alternatives to quotas gaining popularity include “comply or explain” commitments, and rules of national stock exchange regulators. “Glass walls” are limiting women’s influence in boardrooms due to the lack of a critical mass, women’s absence from key committees, the low number of women appointed as board chairpersons, and women serving as non-executive board members.

CEO demographics and gender diversity in senior management in large Scandinavian firms

PurposeThis study aims to investigate whether chief executive officer (CEO) demographics are associated with gender diversity in senior management in the Scandinavia region.Design/methodology/approachThe research design draws on multivariate cross-sectional analysis. The demographic characteristics examined are gender, age and education. A total of six hypotheses are developed and tested. The sample includes the largest 106 public firms from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.FindingsResults show that firms with female CEOs have more women in senior management than other firms. However, neither age nor level of formal education of CEOs shows significant results, with the exception of CEOs holding MBA degrees, who are associated with fewer women in these positions. Interestingly, the association between educational background and gender diversity is principally driven by study-abroad experiences. Finally, results show that gender diversity in senior management has an important country component, whereas the industry component is negligible.Originality/valueThe relationship between managers’ demographics and gender diversity among subordinates is a relatively unexplored research issue, as previous works have focused on general comparisons between male and female managers. Furthermore, the Scandinavian context is particularly interesting as this region leads gender equality rankings.

Board Gender Diversity and Women in Senior Management

Board Gender Diversity and Women in Senior Management

Regulation and the Trickle-Down Effect of Women in Leadership Roles: An Attention-Based View.

The gender diversity of a board can trickle-down to increase the representation of women in lower-level management roles. Although this relationship has been well established by prior research, little is known about how trickle-down effects are influenced by external events in a firm’s environment. Using the attention-based view of the firm as a theoretical framework, we present a natural experiment that demonstrates how the trickle-down effect is influenced by regulation in a firm’s external environment. Specifically, we focus on the implementation of a regulatory target aimed at increasing the representation of women on the boards of firms listed on the FTSE 350 Index. The results of this paper provide evidence of a positive relationship between female board representation and female senior management representation in the pre-regulation era. However, the introduction of regulation substantially weakens this trickle-down effect, such that the representation of women at board level ceases to have a meaningful impact on the subsequent representation of women in senior management. This suggests attention and action of the board and senior management team becomes misaligned after regulatory targets are set. We discuss the implications of the findings for research on trickle-down effects and the attention-based view.

Women’s presence in top management and the performance of microfinance institutions in West Africa

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the presence of women in senior management and the performance of microfinance organizations in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU).Design/methodology/approachUsing a data set of 266 microfinance institutions (MFIs) for the period 2013–2017, the study assesses the impact of women’s representation in senior management and on the boards of West African MFIs on these institutions’ financial and social performance.FindingsThe results indicate that board size and diversity positively and significantly affect the social performance of MFIs, particularly in relation to women’s participation in decision-making regarding expanding services to poor people. In essence, greater gender diversity at the board and management levels promotes the social orientation of MFIs.Research limitations/implicationsThe low representation of women on boards and as managers makes it difficult to more accurately determine the true impact of women in senior positions on MFIs performance.Practical implicationsThe author recommends minimum quotas for women in the top management of MFIs. This would help these institutions incorporate key skills and actively involve all members. Also, regulation places constraints on the ability of West African MFIs to mobilize deposits and this negatively impacts their financial performance.Originality/valueThis investigation highlights the importance of including women in the top management of MFIs to improve these institutions’ performance. It also underscores an interesting problem and answers questions raised in the existing literature by either rejecting or confirming the findings. As players in the microfinance sector recognize that board diversity is important for the success of any microfinance institution, this paper helps shed light on the situation of these organizations in the WAEMU.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-06-2019-0365

Glass Ceiling or Personal Barriers: A Study of Underrepresentation of Women in Senior Management

The glass ceiling has been termed the factor for underrepresentation of women in higher management positions. Pakistani society is believed to be dominated by men in all walks including positions in higher management. The purpose of this study is to explore whether it is the glass ceiling or the personal barriers that result in the underrepresentation phenomena of women in higher management. This exploratory study has surveyed, through a semi-structured interview, the middle and higher-level women manager from private organizations located in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The findings suggest that it is not only glass ceiling barriers but also personal characteristics that hinder womens professional growth. The study also contributes to identifying personal and glass ceiling barriers and their relative importance.

Access to higher education and career advancement for women in the South African work environment

Women are underrepresented in terms of access to higher education in sub-Saharan Africa. In contrast, six out of every ten first degree and 44% of PhD graduates in all disciplines were South African women. Yet, despite the number of South African women accessing higher education this has not really translated into career advancement in the workplace. Specifically, the paper seeks to understand how a higher education degree may facilitate the career advancement of women in the workplace. Two keys concepts underpin the study, namely, lifelong learning and human capital development (HCD). The conceptual framework is thus premised on an understanding that access to higher education for women is critical to HCD, which is a key factor if organisations are to improve their performance. Methodologically, the study used a mixed methods design. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with selected senior women managers and 234 questionnaires were administered to junior workers at a telecommunications organisation in South Africa in 2015. The findings point to the importance of lifelong learning in higher education for women as it assists in reducing gaps in income, accessing senior management positions and, thus, achieving their goals as women. Perhaps the most abiding idea that emerges is that the women in this study displayed a strong sense of ambition.

Career Progression Challenges for Women in Senior Management in the Retail Sector

Career Progression Challenges for Women in Senior Management in the Retail Sector

Gender imbalance in senior positions in higher education: what is the problem? What can be done?

ABSTRACTGlobal scholarship has documented gender discrepancies in power in higher education institutions (HEIs) for several decades. That research is now supported by wider gender equality movements such as those concerned with unequal pay and sexual harassment. Underlying these is the under-representation of women in senior management and full professorial positions. Thus, for example, in the US and the EU men make up the overwhelming majority of those in senior management (Rectors/Presidents/Vice Chancellors) and in full professorial positions. Variation within and across countries and types of institutions suggests that it is necessary to go beyond explanations for this at the individual level. Drawing on research in the sociology of education; higher education studies; management and leadership studies; gender studies; science and policy studies, and using quantitative data, experimental studies, individual case studies and comparative qualitative studies of HEIs, this article focuses on three discourses which legitimate the under-representation women in senior positions namely excellence, fit and national relevance. It evaluates interventions to deal with this including unconscious bias training, mentoring, gender mainstreaming interventions such as Athena SWAN and ADVANCE and ‘nudging’ leaders to end gender inequality. It concludes that a fundamental transformation of HEIs is required and suggests ways forward.

Gender pay gap in salary bands among employees in the formal sector of South Africa

Orientation: The gender pay gap is a worldwide challenge that has persisted despite political will and interventions. Comparably qualified women performing similar work as men continue to earn less. There are conflicting views in the literature regarding the status of the gender pay gap.Research purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine status of the gender pay gap among employees in the same salary band and to establish whether men and women receive similar pay for similar work in the study population.Motivation for study: The status of the gender pay gap would establish the progress made towards closing the gap and guide necessary adjustments to interventions.Research approach/design and method: A quantitative analysis was conducted on the pay information of 217 902 employees collected in a survey from over 700 companies, across 10 job families and 6 industries.Main findings: Men’s pay was consistently higher than that of women in all salary bands except at the 75th and 95th percentile in sub-bands B-lower and B-upper and 25th percentile in sub-band E-upper. The gender pay gap ranged from 8% in band A to 27.1% in sub-band F-upper. The gaps observed in the salary bands were statistically significant (p < 0.0001) except in sub-band E-upper, F-lower and F-upper, indicating convergence towards similar pay for similar work at senior to top management levels. Women were under-represented in all salary bands with the lowest presence in band F, especially sub-band F-upper. Gender, race, job family and industry have a significant effect on income earned in the study sample.Practical/managerial implications: Government’s efforts seemed to have produced minimal results as women are represented in all job families, industries and salary bands. The pay of men and women in senior and top management levels was similar. However, more still needs to be done to achieve the 50% target representation of women in senior management and close the gap at all levels.Contribution/value-add: The number of women at management levels is still very low when compared to their male counterparts. However, the gender pay gap in senior to top management positions are converging towards similar pay for work of similar value.

Gender in the Australian Public Service: Doing, Undoing, Redoing or Done?

AbstractAttention to gender equity has waxed and waned in public services but, by the 1980s, a series of policy changes placed public services among the leaders in working conditions for women. Conversely, New Public Management reforms since the 1980s focused on leaner, more efficient government and resulted in the gradual downgrading or stagnation of employment conditions for female public sector employees. In the Australian Public Service (APS), occupational segregation remains, as does under‐representation of women in senior management. In 2016, the Australian government announced its commitment to progressing gender equality with the release of an APS gender equality strategy. Drawing on frameworks for ‘doing’ and ‘undoing’ gender at work, this research uses data from interviews and focus groups to first, identify staff experiences in one large APS agency to examine how gender is done, and second, consider the transformative potential of this strategy to lead to workplaces where gender has been redone or undone, and third, consider the implications for women's equity.

Introduction to Special Issue on Gender and Leadership and a Future Research Agenda

Despite the feminisation of universities in terms of their student intake [1,2], formal positions of academic leadership in higher education remain concentrated in male hands[…]

The Glass Ceiling Puzzle, Legal Institutions, and the Shadow Economy

ABSTRACTScholarly studies in economics, sociology, psychology, and management emphasize the low number of women in management as one of the main indicators of gender discrimination in the labor market. This study investigates the differences in the percentage of women in senior management across forty-five countries. The results of the regression analysis show that women are more represented in senior management in developing countries than in so-called “liberal Western democracies.” Women also participate more in senior management in countries in which prejudice and discrimination against women are greater. The study presents empirical evidence for two economic explanations for these puzzling results: the weak functioning of the legal system and the large size of the shadow economy.

Beyond the Board Realm: Women in Senior Management and their Impact on IPO Capital Funding

AbstractThis study assesses the importance of female senior managers in Chinese IPO firms debuting in Hong Kong. I define senior management teams (SMTs) in relation to IPO prospectus disclosures. For the vast majority of firms, little to no overlap exists between SMT members and board personnel. Women are much better represented in SMTs than on boards. A central hypothesis is that Chinese firms' SMT members implement business strategy while board officers provide political connections. Unlike boards, female representation at SMT level strongly supports initial valuations. Findings suggest that women offer resource dependencies, add expertise and boost capital funding. In contrast to boards, underwriter quality is increasing in female representation at SMT level. Higher‐quality underwriters also gravitate towards SMTs with stronger academic bona fides. The present study also contributes by drawing connections and prescriptions with wider upper echelons, resource dependence and stakeholder theories. Overall, findings suggest that gender‐diverse SMTs play a major role in capital funding. More gender‐inclusive SMTs thus foster both social and business objectives.

Women and leadership: Gender barriers to senior management positions

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to show the representation of women in corporate leadership positions. It also aims to identify the key factors that determine the lower presence of women in senior management, as well as policies to achieve gender balance in decision-making positions. Design/methodology/approach: In order to show the representation of women in senior positions, the information contained in the European Commission database Women and men in decision-making has been analyzed. This database contains information on the presence of women in key positions in the largest publicly-listed European companies. The analysis has been completed with the Economically Active Population Survey of the Spanish National Statistics Institute and Catalyst census, including Fortune 500 companies. A literature review was also conducted to find factors explaining the current situation of women in decision-making positions and to propose strategies that promote more women in senior management. The literature review was carried out by means of searches in Google Scholar and in the databases ABI/INFORM Global , Emerald and International Bibliography of the Social Sciences , which permitted the analysis of several journals. Findings: This study highlights the gender imbalance in decision-making positions. Most barriers to senior management are related to gender stereotypes. Therefore, we propose combining short-term measures to provide the required support for women in order to access management positions with other long-term measures to boost analysis and the learning process throughout society. Originality/value: The research assesses the magnitude of the gender imbalance still present in leadership positions today. It also highlights the need for short- and long-term measures.

A better career environment for women: developing a blueprint for individuals and organisations

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the findings from empirical research conducted with women managers about their careers and to propose a template or blueprint for how individuals and organisations might create a better career environment for women. Design/methodology/approach This paper draws on a research study that included interviews with 20 senior women managers from a range of sectors and countries and a self-completion survey questionnaire completed by 1,402 women. Findings The paper illustrates the difficulties that women continue to face in the workplace and how terms such as leadership, management and team leader may be gender biased. There is a need for employers and for individuals to consider a variety of different approaches to help create a more positive career environment for women. Research limitations/implications The findings have implications for career development structures and talent management processes within organisations. They also would be useful for professional associations. Practical implications The template proposed offers a useful guide to help organisations reflect on possible gender bias in career development structures. Originality/value This paper adds to the understanding of the issues that women managers face and highlight the practical changes employers could make to help address these issues.

America’s Evolution of Women and Their Roles in the Intelligence Community

The role of women in the Intelligence Community has evolved over time and captures the use of their skills to further assist, perpetuate, and lead intelligence operations globally. This paper serves as a historical overview of some of the techniques of the early female spies and highlights the successes of the modern woman’s contributions to the intelligence mission. Emerging female operations officers often face obstacles: dealing with bias within the bureaucracy, issues of female equality within certain cultures, and experiencing slower rates of promotion. This has meant a lack of females in competitive leadership positions. Female mentors and former intelligence members explore avenues for surviving and thriving within the CIA. Women must have high standards of performance and professionalism and grasp the politics of advancement in a male-dominated hierarchical agency. Communication in leadership training and awareness is key, as seen in the CIA's 1991 “glass ceiling” study and 2013 Director’s Advisory Group on Women in Leadership (DAG) report on the statistics of the lack of women in senior management. The current trend of women serving in top positions in intelligence organizations should offer encouragement and promote further changes within the American culture. This article is available in Journal of Strategic Security: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/jss/vol8/iss5/10