Women managers: does positive action training make a difference?

Abstract

Despite long-standing legislation within the UK, women are still generally under-represented at managerial level within organisations. One method of making a difference to this situation is the provision of positive action training and this paper summarises the arguments for and against positive action. Also describes a case study of a positive action training initiative for women managers in local government and assesses its potential effectiveness as a means of breaking through the "glass ceiling". It explains how the training programme is structured and delivered and draws on relevant aspects of the findings of a research study undertaken to explore the opinions of the women students. Particular attention is given to their experience of the glass ceiling, opinions on perceived barriers to progression and on whether or not the programme has acted as a change agent. Some considerations for good practice are offered in conclusion. Legal backgroundSince the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975 and the setting up of the Equal Opportunities Commission in 1976, equal opportunity on the basis of gender has been a legal requirement in employment. Had this legislation been as powerful as the rhetoric implied, then surely, over a quarter of a century later, we would begin to see men and women equally represented at all levels of employment scales. Unfortunately, this is not the case -even within the public sector where many local authorities have equal opportunities policies and procedures and equal opportunities officers. The legislation allows for the provision of positive action initiatives including the opportunity to provide training to under-represented groups in order to enable them to compete more effectively for particular jobs. Positive action trainingChange within organisations can be brought about in a number of ways and there is a danger that positive action training can been seen as the "sticking plaster" answer, as opposed to a "root and branch" approach to successful organizational change. From the viewpoint of an organisation, it is clearly easier to effect change by supporting and encouraging individuals than by tackling organisational culture. It can be argued that positive action measures are inappropriate, since they merely prop up hegemonic structures without really challenging them. Positive action training provides a situation in which:. . . responsibility for woman's position in the labour market is placed squarely on women's shoulders by emphasizing so-called deficiencies in their own behaviour or attributes (Cassel and Walsh, cited in Simpson, 1997, p. 122).

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