Managerial Women in Mixed Groups: Implications of Recent Research

Abstract

Current research on female membership in mixed groups often reports mixed findings regarding female effectiveness. Some studies of malefemale leadership styles, for example, report no difference, some studies show a strong preference for male characteristics in a leader, and some studies find a complex interaction of variables when male-female styles are compared. Although norms, roles, stereotypes, and society itself appear to be in a state of flux, recent findings also imply positive suggestions for improving the quality and quantity of female interaction in mixed groups. The research implications reported here may be divided into three categories that may be used as a framework to develop management training curricula for women. By now it is well known that although women in the United States compose 43.5% of the work force they hold very few of the positions boasting high prestige and high pay (U.S. Department of Labor, 1983). The proportion of women holding administrative or managerial positions stood at 6.1~ as of 1978; however, most of the managerial positions comprising that percentage were entrylevel or slightly above (Baron, 1977; Patterson, 1975; in White, De Sanctis, & Crino, 1981). In fact, one source reports that at top executive levels as late as 1975, men outnumbered women 600 to 1 (Meyer, 1975).Although the rate at which women have moved into prestigious careers has been slower than predicted in the early years of the women's movement, there is evidence to suggest that such a transition is taking place. Between 1970 and 1978, for example, the rate at which women moved into managerial-administrative positions increased 16 times more rapidly than during the pre-

The empowerment of women in school psychology: Paradoxes of success and failure.

“…Despite consistent evidence of problems women face in assuming influential positions in research and real-life groups (Eagly, 1983), there is also evidence that specific training strategies can improve women’s success at attaining leadership positions (Beamish & Marinelli, 1983; Fischer, 1985; Geis, Boston, & Hoffman, 1985; Green, 1984; Mainiero, 1984; Stake, 1983; Staley, 1984; Youssef & Hollnsteiner, 1983).…”

Women and minorities in management.

“…Because companies have made varying degrees of progress in attacking discrimination, and because some women and minorities rebel against attending segregated programs, the flexibility of organizations in providing different types of training is commendable. Limited research suggests that training may be most useful not is skill-building, but in areas such as career and self-awareness, mentoring, and leadership development (Dipboye, 1987; Lee, 1986; Staley, 1984; White et al, 1981).…”

Women and Management:

“…However, this solution does not consider that without structural changes to support individual efforts, personal initiative may not be sufficient (or beneficial). One critique is that this search for "real" differences is irrelevant, since women are perceived to be different regardless of how they behave (Marshall, 1984;Staley, 1984). This next section covers studies that address these perceptions about differences.…”