Gendering Organizational Change

The Case of Relate, 1948-1990

Bibliographic Data

ID9890213
AuthorsJane Lewis (0000-0002-1184-4298, Department of Social Science and Administration, The London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE., corresponding author), David Hj Morgan (0000-0002-0996-7969, University of Manchester), David H J Morgan (University of Manchester)
Year1994
Volume47
Issue6
Pages641-663
Publication date1994-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHuman Relations (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0018-7267 • E-ISSN: 1741-282X
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/001872679404700604
OpenAlexW2147709661
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited21

In this paper we argue for the need to develop a gendered understanding of processes of organizational change. However, this should not simply be seen as a question of the proportions of women and men at different levels in the hierarchy. Organizational culture and the gendered metaphors and rhetorics that are used within the organization are also shown to be significant. Our analysis focuses upon a single case, a historical and sociological study of Relate, formerly the National Marriage Guidance Council. This case is especially interesting in that issues of gender inevitably enter into its primary task, the treatment of matital difficulties, and that as a voluntary organization it has employed a high proportion of unpaid women in the key activity of counseling, while the managerial positions have been dominated by men. This organization experienced a period of crisis in the 1980s culminating in the commissioning of a report from a firm of management consultants. We argue that the analysis of organizational difficulties at this time was considerably weakened by the failure to develop an understanding of complex issues of gender

Hierarchy · Management · Organization development · Organizational analysis · Organizational change · Organizational culture · Period (music · Political science · Public relations · Sociology · Family Business Performance and Succession · Gender Diversity and Inequality · Law · Work-Family Balance Challenges