Have they learnt to interrupt

Comparing how women management students and senior women managers in Australia perceive workplace communication dilemmas

Dados Bibliográficos

ID12921313
AutoresMary Barrett (0000-0003-0221-0979, University of Wollongong, autor correspondente)
Ano2009
Volume24
Fascículo6
Páginas432-454
Data de publicação2009-07-25
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoGender in Management An International Journal (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1754-2413 • E-ISSN: 1754-2421
EditoraEmerald Publishing Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1108/17542410910980405
OpenAlexW2171389790
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas2
Referências citadas43

Purpose Changing language ideology and the decreased popularity of overt feminism suggest that aspiring female managers may be less influenced than senior women managers by the gender of the speaker in evaluating whether specific communication strategies are effective and probable. The purpose of this paper is to investigate this issue. Design/methodology/approach A total of 255 second‐year female management students evaluate strategies for the same workplace dilemmas as senior women managers (Barrett). Findings For short‐ and medium‐term dilemmas students, like senior women managers, regard masculine communication strategies with a feminine element as effective. They are less influenced by the speaker's gender than senior women managers in evaluating the strategies' probability. But when seeking promotion, students avoid some strategies they consider effective, and believe men would use. Students' confidence as communicators affects their personal choice of strategy. Research limitations/implications The paper investigates a limited number of dilemmas and sought information about a limited number of demographic factors, limiting the results' generalizability. Nevertheless, it suggests future women managers could learn from their senior counterparts if they want to advance at work. Future research should investigate whether future male managers' reactions to these dilemmas are similar to women students and senior managers, and whether scenarios using female dyads yield similar results. Cross‐cultural extensions of the research are also possible. Originality/value This is the first study comparing aspiring and senior women managers' reactions to classic workplace communication problems. The findings show similarities between aspiring managers and their senior sisters, but also differences which could affect aspiring managers' career success

Developmental psychology · Generalizability theory · Limiting · Medical education · Originality · Political science · Popularity · Promotion (chess · Public relations · Senior management · Value (mathematics · Communication in Education and Healthcare · Computer Science · Gender Diversity and Inequality · International Student and Expatriate Challenges · Medicine · Psychology · Social Psychology