Women managers: the lessons from Latvia

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Women managers the lessons from Latvia 

• G A MOSS, D FARNHAM, C COOK
• New Socio-Economic challenges of development in
  Europe 2008

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Good news!

• Lots of rich data from respondents in Latvia so
  no danger that after a good lunch ...

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(No Transcript)
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Women managers

• In 2006, 44 of managers in Latvia were female
  and 40.6 in 2008
• Highest proportion in the EU

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Women managers

• Interesting since where women are in a
  minority position, they tend to
• (i) model their management on that of the
  male majority (Gardiner and Tiggerman, 1999).
• (ii) display a more stereotypically masculine
  style than males in male-dominated industries
  (Eagly and Johnson, 1990 Ferrario and Davidson,
  1991).

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Women managers

• A situation in which women are in a near majority
  offers a rate glimpse of how women manage when
  these constraints are removed.
• Also makes it easier for colleagues to bring to
  mind instances of women as managers

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Women managers urgent

• Urgent inquiry since
• the transition from a control-led to a
  market-based economy impacts more negatively on
  women than men (Alyanek, 1999)
• The management style of senior management is a
  major determinant of org. culture (Denison, 1996
  Sarros et al, 2002) and through that
  organisational success (Zahra, 1998).

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Women managers urgent

• Transformational management produces superior
  long-term results
• Debate as to whether men and women do manage
  differently
• (i) they do not (Kanter, 1977)
• (ii) they do (Rosener, 1990 Eagly et al,
  2003).

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Methodology

• In depth-interviews with 27 middle to senior and
  top-level managers in 2008.
• Acknowledge a debt of gratitude to Talentor
  (Baiba Jasuna) recruitment who set up many of the
  contacts and interviews and allowed us to use
  their premises for the interviews.

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Methodology

• 4 research questions
• what is anything distinguishes M and F management
  styles
• what is the impact of having female managers in
  Latvian organisations
• what obstacles are there to the appointment of
  female managers in L
• what factors have lead Latvia to have a high
  proportion of F managers

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Results management style

• Only 1 R saw no difference
• Otherwise, Rs spoke of differences
• Emotionality in attitudes to projects and
  people (p.4)
• Decision-making Fs have diverse approaches
• Focus on results c.25 of Rs considered Fs to
  be gt results-oriented

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Results management style

• Consensual approach women may make gt use of a
  participative management style (p.5)
• Focus on teamwork use of we rather than I
  (p.5). Produces results (p.6)

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Results impact

• Four themes
• Role model
• Balance
• Feminine organisational values (p.6)
• Improved results (p.6)

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Factors that promote women

• History (conscription and breakdown of big
  industries)
• Ancient culture (p.6) no need to fight for the
  right to work.
• Scandinavian influence
• Not a pan-Baltic phenomenon

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Obstacles

• Not suited to sales jobs
• Childcare responsibilities
• Old-boys network (p.7)
• Gender expectations
• Lack of networks
• The two Rs who spoke of no obstacles were both
  men!