Skip to main content
Log in

Men's and Women's Perceptions of the Gender Typing of Management Subroles

  • Published:
Sex Roles Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which subroles inherent in managerial positions are gender-typed and whether men or women engage in relatively more gender typing of managerial roles. We obtained perceptions of 19 management subroles from 263 business students in the United States Results confirmed predictions that some subroles are viewed as more feminine in nature whereas other subroles are perceived as more masculine. Male respondents saw most subroles as more masculine in nature than did female respondents. Results are discussed in terms of implications for researchers studying management, as well as for managers in the workplace.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

references

  • Atwater, L., Carey, J., & Waldman, D. (2001). Gender and discipline in the workplace: Wait until your father gets home. Journal of Management, 27, 537-561.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barr, S. (1996). Up against the glass. Management Review, 85, 12-17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brenner, O. C., Tomkiewicz, J., & Schein, V. E. (1989). The relationship between sex role stereotypes and requisite management characteristics revisited. Academy of Management Review, 14, 661-669.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2001, August 3). The employment situation: July 2001. News: U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/

  • Catalyst. (2002). Census of women corporate officers and top earners. New York: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chitayat, G., & Venezia, I. (1984). Determinants of management styles in business and non-business organizations. Journal of Applied Psychology, 69, 437-447.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dobbins, G. H., & Platz, S. (1986). Sex differences in leadership: How real are they? Academy of Management Review, 11, 118-127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dodge, K. A., Gilroy, F. D., & Fenzel, L. M. (1995). Requisite management characteristics revisited: Two decades later. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 10, 253-264.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eagly, A. H., & Johnson, B. T. (1990). Gender and leadership style: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 108, 233-256.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eagly, A., & Karau, S. (2002). Role congruity theory of prejudice toward female leaders. Psychological Review, 109, 573-598.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallop Report (2001, April). Who's the preferred boss. Sales and Marketing Management, 70, Bill Communications Inc.

  • Gutek, B. A., & Cohen, A. (1987). Sex ratios, sex role spillover and sex at work: A comparison of men's and women's experiences. Human Relations, 40, 97-115.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heilman, M. E. (1983). Sex bias in work settings: The lack of fit model. Research in Organizational Behavior, 5, 269-298.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heilman, M. E. (1995). Sex stereotypes and their effects in the workplace: What we know and what we don't know. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 10, 3-26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolb, J. A. (1997). Are we still stereotyping leadership? A look at gender and other predictors of leader emergence. Small Group Research, 28, 370-393.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurke, L., & Aldrich, H. (1983). Mintzberg was right!; A replication and extension of the nature of managerial work. Management Science, 29, 975-984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lord, R. G., & Maher, K. J. (1991). Leadership and information processing: Linking perceptions and performance. Boston: Unwin-Hyman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luthans, F., Rosenkrantz, S., & Hennessey, H. (1985). What do successful managersreally do? An observational study of managerial activities. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 21, 255-270.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyerson, D. E., & Fletcher, J. (2000). A modest manifesto for shattering the glass ceiling. Harvard Business Review, 78, 126-136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Michael, J., & Yukl, G. (1993). Managerial level and subunit function as determinants of networking behavior in organizations. Group and Organization Management, 18, 328-351.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelton, S. (1995). Nurturing diversity. Nation's Business, 83(6), 25-27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Norris, J. M., & Wylie, A. M. (1995). Gender stereotyping of the managerial role among students in Canada and the United States. Group and Organization Management, 20, 167-182.

    Google Scholar 

  • Page, R., & Tornow, W. (1987, April). Managerial job analysis: All We further along? Paper presented at the second annual conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Atlanta.

  • Powell, G. (1990). One more time: Do female and male managers differ? Academy of Management Executive, 4, 68-75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ragins, B. R., & Sundstrom, E. (1989). Gender and power in organizations: A longitudinal perspective. Psychological Bulletin, 105, 51-88.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rudman, L. A., & Glick, P. (1999). Feminized management and backlash toward agentic women: The hidden costs to women of a kinder, gentle image of middle managers. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77, 1004-1010.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schein, V. E. (1975). Relationships between sex role stereotypes and requisite management characteristics among female managers. Journal of Applied Psychology, 75, 340-344.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schein, V. E. (1994). Managerial sex typing: A persistent and pervasive barrier to women's opportunities. In M. J. Davidson & R. J. Burke (Eds.), Women in management: Current research issues (pp. 41-52). London: Chapman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shore, T. (1992). Subtle gender bias in the assessment of managerial potential. Sex Roles, 27, 499-515.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spence, J. T., & Buckner, C. E. (2000). Instrumental and expressive traits, trait stereotypes, and sexist attitudes: What do they signify? Psychology of Women Quarterly, 24, 44-62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stevens, G., & DeNisi, A. (1980). Women as managers: Attitudes and attributions for performance by men and women. Academy of Management Journal, 23, 355-361.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Fleet, D., & Saurage, J. (1984, Summer). Recent research on women in management. Akron Business and Economic Review, pp. 15-24.

  • Yukl, G. A. (1989). Leadership in organizations. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yukl, G. A. (2002). Leadership in organizations. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Leanne E. Atwater.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Atwater, L.E., Brett, J.F., Waldman, D. et al. Men's and Women's Perceptions of the Gender Typing of Management Subroles. Sex Roles 50, 191–199 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:SERS.0000015551.78544.35

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:SERS.0000015551.78544.35

Navigation