Gendered Identification: Between Idealization and Admiration

Abstract

While much of the literature on gender focuses on role models, this article extends the understanding of gendered professional identification processes by exploring these processes through the lenses of idealization and admiration. Using the method of discourse analysis to analyse MBA students' accounts of people who they identify with, this article explores discourses of idealization, defined as aggrandising a person, and of admiration, which means to discuss positive as well as negative and neutral characteristics of a person. We show firstly that most male and female MBA students idealised the self-made 'authentic' CEO or founder of an organization. Secondly, we found that women mainly admired other women through naming their positive, neutral and negative attributes. The article thereby adds to our understanding of how gendered identification processes are structured by idealization and admiration.

Role Models and Women Entrepreneurs: Entrepreneurial Superwoman Has Her Say

“…But, while having same‐sex role models is important, young women face an additional difficulty in entrepreneurship. They often have to act to “smooth out” potential inconsistencies between the characteristics of their female role models and those of the “normative entrepreneur” (Kelan and Mah ), making their role‐modeling process a more complex one.…”

Advancing Gendered Analyses of Entrepreneurship: A Critical Exploration of Entrepreneurial Activity among Gay Men and Lesbian Women

“…Such ascriptions are problematic; in tandem with informing mutual sensemaking, they also act as valorization devices. Attributes associated with femininity and, by implication, women are deemed to have lower worth that those associated with men and masculinity (Kelan and Mah, 2014;McRobbie, 2009). This is evident within the field of entrepreneurship; Ahl (2006), Gupta et al (2009) and Greene, Han and Marlow (2013) describe how entrepreneurial activity is associated with masculinized stereotypes such as agency, risk taking and individualism.…”

“…Such ascriptions are problematic; in tandem with informing mutual sensemaking, they also act as valorization devices. Attributes associated with femininity and, by implication, women are deemed to have lower worth that those associated with men and masculinity (Kelan and Mah, ; McRobbie, ). This is evident within the field of entrepreneurship; Ahl (), Gupta et al .…”

Searching for Women on Boards: An Analysis from the Supply and Demand Perspective

“…The lack of female role models is often cited as a reason for the low numbers of women in managerial positions (Sealy & Singh, 2010). People usually look for role models similar in gender or race (Eriksson-Zetterquist, 2008;Kelan & Mah, 2014;Sealy & Singh, 2010). Women frequently find themselves having to look externally because of the dearth of role models in their close professional settings (Singh et al, 2006).…”

“…Individuals identify themselves with role models by looking for similarities among a large pool of numerous positive examples (Gibson, ; Vinnicombe & Singh, ) with whom they may interact in different moments in time. Motivation to attain positions of power can be enhanced by female role models (Waldman, Galvin, & Walumbwa, ) in top positions; they particularly motivate women and help guide their individual development (Gibson, , ) in many cases through admiration and idealization (Kelan & Mah, ). Professional identification is key for women in business as it helps them to discover role models they could emulate (Sealy & Singh, ).…”