THE IMPACT OF GENDER ON WOMEN IN TOP MANAGEMENT POSITIONS: A study of women in Finland
Che Ngwenyi, Nicolette (2017)
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The representation of women in senior management in Finland still remains at about 5 percent, an indication of the fact that there is a huge inequality at this level of management. Gender has: enhanced the glass ceiling, leading to women being unable to climb the hierarchical ladder to top management levels within their organizations both public and private owned in Finland, it has also discouraged women from aspiring to get to top levels management in their careers.
The issue of inequality in top managements cuts across public sector and private sector organizations in Finland. It presents a very visible problem in public organizations where women are the majority of employees and highly represented in company boards but are underrepresented at top levels in management. Research carried out using and analyzing secondary data from government resources and academic journals unraveled some salient factors that have been a barrier to women getting to top in management in Finland.
Gender related issues such as men and even women preferring male leaders to female leaders because of stereotypes that make people believe that men make better leaders than women, the presence of strong male networks (old -boys networks) that exclude women from vital information and informal coaching which is an added advantage to men over women. Peculiar to Finland the field of education factor; most men having degrees in business and engineering and women having degrees in politics, and other social and administrative science subjects, leading men to frontline management and women to support management functions.
The essay examined how women can break through the glass ceiling in Finland and get to top level management in Finland. It is vital for them to be able to change their line of education from social and administrative sciences to engineering and business so that they can get into frontline management which leads to top management. Carefully developing strategies on balancing work and family is also vital for women to get and remain in top management. Breaking through male networks by having male coaches and mentors help women to get hitherto hidden information on opportunities and business deals and also create female professional networks where successful women can coach others.
The issue of inequality in top managements cuts across public sector and private sector organizations in Finland. It presents a very visible problem in public organizations where women are the majority of employees and highly represented in company boards but are underrepresented at top levels in management. Research carried out using and analyzing secondary data from government resources and academic journals unraveled some salient factors that have been a barrier to women getting to top in management in Finland.
Gender related issues such as men and even women preferring male leaders to female leaders because of stereotypes that make people believe that men make better leaders than women, the presence of strong male networks (old -boys networks) that exclude women from vital information and informal coaching which is an added advantage to men over women. Peculiar to Finland the field of education factor; most men having degrees in business and engineering and women having degrees in politics, and other social and administrative science subjects, leading men to frontline management and women to support management functions.
The essay examined how women can break through the glass ceiling in Finland and get to top level management in Finland. It is vital for them to be able to change their line of education from social and administrative sciences to engineering and business so that they can get into frontline management which leads to top management. Carefully developing strategies on balancing work and family is also vital for women to get and remain in top management. Breaking through male networks by having male coaches and mentors help women to get hitherto hidden information on opportunities and business deals and also create female professional networks where successful women can coach others.
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