EPA-1350 – Gender, mental health and innovation culture

Abstract

The studies about innovation culture give little attention to intangible aspects like gender, mental health and social competences. In particular there is a dearth of data concerning the relationship between gender and innovation culture.ObjectiveThis research based on psychodynamic theory objective to analyse organizational culture in its intangible aspects related to work mental health. It aims to identify femininity and masculinity characteristics as well as to understand how these dimensions make innovation easier or harder in some organizational cultures.MethodsA mixed investigation strategy has been chosen (quanti and qualitative design), including quantitative survey and qualitative analysis. The sample is formed by 15 companies in São Paulo State, Brazil.ResultsThe presence of social competences, such as tolerance to ambiguity and error in solving conflicts, supportive leaderships, open communication and cohesion, encouragement to change and creativity ease the innovation and worker's mental health. Despite of these results, femininity characteristics appears insufficiently developed in the observed companies and female gender was unvalued during the group interview.ConclusionThe innovation is positively related to the existence of specific organizational culture. Despite of that, the innovation culture aspects insufficiently developed are mostly femininity characteristics in the observed companies.

Innovation capability of women and men managers: evidence from Kazakhstan

“…The present study supports the idea of women managers' better-adopting innovations compared to men managers that complies with the early research (Reuvers et al, 2008;Carvalho & Williams, 2014;Zapalska et al, 2015;Lindberg et al, 2016). The findings of the present study show women and men have an equally positive attitude towards innovations that is in line with previous research of Millward and Freeman (2002) but in contradiction with a range of existing studies (Idris, 2009;Peçanha & Godoy, 2014;Santos et al, 2019).…”

“…Creating favorable conditions for innovative thinking and acting and encouragement of subordinates by managers to innovate presents a considerable part of innovation capability (Kariv, 2010). Supportive leadership and encouragement to creativity facilitate innovations in an organization (Peçanha & Godoy, 2014).…”

“…Female managers are open to innovations and new creative ideas (Özmutafa et al, 2015), express a positive attitude to change and facilitate innovations at enterprises (Peçanha & Godoy, 2014). Both female and male managers exhibit an openness to innovations, innovative thinking and creative ideas (Millward & Freeman, 2002).…”

“…Women managers have less inclination to behave innovatively because of a higher risk to be criticized (Millward & Freeman, 2002). Despite the above-mentioned characteristics (particularly, encouragement of employees and openness to new knowledge and experience) is often associated with women, they are undervalued as innovators in organizations (Peçanha & Godoy, 2014).…”