Are managerial gender stereotypes universal?

114

PurposeAlthough Schein's gender role management stereotype hypothesis has been examined in many countries around the world, no studies specifically examine the combined effects of race and gender on this phenomenon. The purpose of this paper is to use an intersectional analysis to test the hypothesis among different race and gender groups in South Africa.Design/methodology/approachThe 92‐item Schein descriptive index was randomly administered to 592 black men, white men, black women, and white women managers. The degree of resemblance between the descriptions of men and successful managers and between women and successful managers was determined by computing intra‐class correlation coefficients.FindingsResults confirm the think manager, think male hypothesis for black and white men but not for black and white women. Black and white men are less likely to attribute successful managerial characteristics to women. The hypothesis is more robust among black men than among white men. For black women, the resemblance between the characteristics of women in general and successful managers is significantly higher than the resemblance of men in general and successful managers. This represents only the second study globally to report a reversal of the usual pattern. White women perceived men and women to equally possess the requisite management characteristics.Practical implicationsIntersectionality is capable of revealing the ways in which race and gender simultaneously influence perceptions of managerial characteristics.Originality/valueThe paper provides a race and gender intersectional analysis that compares the perceptions of the think manager – think male hypothesis in contrast to the dominant gender only analysis that may mask important differences in the stereotyping of managerial characteristics. It is also the first study of its kind in South Africa.

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender role stereotypes and requisite management characteristics

Booysen

Nkomo

2010

114

“…Respondents in her study were asked to characterize whether the traits were more closely related to "men in general", "women in general", or "successful middle manager". The original Schein (1973Schein ( , 1975 studies along with extensive use of the Schein Descriptive Index by other researchers have found, with few exceptions (Booysen and Nkomo, 2010;dePillis et al, 2008;Duehr and Bono, 2006;Schein, 2007), that successful middle managers are perceived as possessing characteristics, temperaments, and attitudes that were more commonly ascribed to men in general than to women in general (Gorman, 2005;Schein, 1973Schein, , 1975Schein, , 1994Schein and Mueller, 1992;Schein et al, 1989; Sex role stereotypes Brenner et al, 1989;Bass, 1990). Studies using different methodologies and instruments have produced similar results (Eagly and Karau, 2002;Heilman, 1984Heilman, , 2001Powell and Butterfield, 1979).…”

Section: Women and Managerial Stereotypesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Research using male and female business students in Hawaii also highlights this premise. When students belong to a culture that includes women in leader positions, they are less likely to hold "think-manager-think-male" stereotypes (dePillis et al, 2008). To determine if familiarity with diversity and females in the managerial role actually decreases sex role stereotypes, we test three groups of university students with varying levels of exposure to formal business education to determine how they perceive gender and managerial characteristics.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex role stereotypes: does business education make a difference?

Paris

Decker

2012

Purpose -Studies indicate that a managerial pro-male bias still exists. While managers and females have begun to view women as possessing managerial attributes, male students, on average, still tend to stereotype the managerial role using a pro-male bias. Based on research by Heilman and by Lord and Maher, the purpose of this paper is to propose that business students, who are exposed to a curriculum that emphasizes the importance of diversity, as recommended by AACSB, will exhibit fewer gender stereotypes. Design/methodology/approach -Using the Schein Descriptive Index, three groups of university students were surveyed to determine whether individuals exposed to formal management education experience a reduction in "men as manager" stereotypes. The hypothesis was tested using interclass correlation coefficients (r 0 ) from two randomized-groups analysis of variance. Findings -The hypothesis was not supported and the findings indicate that students in the business administration program stereotyped the managerial role to a greater degree than those not enrolled in the business administration program. Research limitations/implications -Further studies should be conducted to determine if the findings of this particular study are universal across college campuses. Practical implications -Business schools must evaluate the methods that are being used to teach diversity in management education. Originality/value -The authors' unique approach focuses on the sample as an important element when studying gender bias in management. Given the state of the economy and the cuts to university programs, by determining where bias occurs, diversity education in the university environment can be better utilized for optimal impact.

“…Fullagar et al (2003) examined the "think manager-think male" phenomenon in Turkey and Sweden and found that both men and women reported that successful managers possessed characteristics and attitudes more commonly ascribed to men than women. de Phillis et al (2008) found that both men and women in Hawai'i and women in the Continental United States did not have a strong "think manager-think male" bias, but men in the Continental United States did. Booysen and Nkomo's (2010) study in South Africa was one of the first studies to examine the combined effect of race and gender on the "think manager-think male" phenomenon.…”

Section: Prior Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex stereotyping managerial positions

Elsaid

2012

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to examine how men and women sex stereotype managerial positions and how they view women in managerial roles in Egypt and the USA, in order to provide meaningful cross-cultural comparisons. Design/methodology/approach -The study uses surveys that utilize the Schein descriptive index and the women as managers scale (WAMS) to compare perceptions on women in managerial positions in Egypt and the USA. The sample consists of 553 Egyptian and 324 American management students. Findings -The results show that in the Egyptian sample both males and females held negative views of women managers. However, in the US sample, women held more favourable views of women managers than did their male counterparts. In the Egyptian sample the English section female students had a more positive perception of female managers than their Arabic section counterparts.Research limitations/implications -The sample is limited to management students in Egypt and the USA. The Middle East includes countries with different cultures, such as Israel. About 10 percent of Egypt's population are Christians who do not necessarily share the same cultural beliefs as the country's Muslim majority. Practical implications -The paper helps donor countries better direct their aid programs when it comes to promoting gender equality and championing women's rights in the Middle East. Originality/value -Our contribution was to study the perceptions of female leaders in Egypt, an Arab, Muslim, Middle Eastern country. The gender research on countries with conservative cultures, such as Egypt, is an area that remains mostly unexamined. Our study aims to provide researchers and practitioners with a better understanding of the position of Egyptian women in management.