Exam

1. Women’s vs. men’s
leadership abilities
BERBECE CODRUTA-ALEXANDRA
GRUPA 8103
FACULATEA DE MANAGEMENT , SPECIALIZARE INGINERIE
ECONOMICA IN AGRICULTURA.

2. 1.
 . Research has been undertaken to examine whether or not there are sex
differences in leadership. Until recently, leadership positions have
predominantly been held by men and men were therefore stereotyped to be
more effective leaders. Women were rarely seen in senior leadership positions
leading to a lack of data on how they behave in such positions.[1] However, due
to current research and women becoming more prevalent in the workforce over
the past two decades, especially in management and leadership positions, these
stereotypes are changing and various conclusions about gender effects on
leadership are being made. The data from the primary literature on this topic is
inconclusive as the two main lines of research contradict one another, the first
being that there are small, but nevertheless significant sex differences in
leadership and the second being that gender does not have an effect on
leadership. It is difficult to determine which line of research has more validity
as there is no conclusive evidence that supports one more than the other. More
research needs to be conducted as more women are entering into higher level
leadership positions and as better research methodology becomes available.

3. Alice Eagly
 Alice Eagly, a frontrunner in the research on gender differences in leadership, found
through multiple studies that differences between men and women are small and that the
overlap is considerable. Nevertheless, these small differences have statistical
significance in the way men and women are perceived in leadership roles and their
effectiveness in such positions, as well as their leadership styles.[2] In early studies,
from the late 1980s and early 1990s, it was found that women adopted participative
styles of leadership and were more transformational leaders than men who adopted more
directive and transactional styles of leadership.[1][2] Women in management positions
tended to place more emphasis on communication, cooperation, affiliation, and nurturing
than men as well as having more communal qualities.[1] According to these studies, men
were seen to be more “agenic” and be more goal and task oriented. These finding were
supported by similar results in more recent studies conducted by Trinidad and Normure in
2005, Yukl in 2002, and a study conducted by Hagberg Consulting Group in 2000.
Specifically according to Yukl, women have a “feminine advantage” because they are “more
adept at being inclusive, interpersonally sensitive, and nurturing."[3] The study conducted
by Hagberg Consulting Group also found women managers to be ranked higher in 42 out of
52 traits and skills measured, including teamwork, stability, motivation, recognizing
trends, and acting on new ideas.[4] An explanation, proposed by Eagly and Carli (2007),
attributes many of these findings not to average gender differences per se, but to a
"selection effect" caused by gender bias and discrimination against women, whereby
easier standards for men in attaining leadership positions as well as the fact that men
make up the majority of executives results in a higher average of exceptionally skilled
women than men in some leader roles

4. 3.
 4. When studying perception and effectiveness of men and women in leadership, in
multiple studies, Eagly found that men and women are perceived better by
subordinates and are seen as more effective leaders when in positions in
accordance to traditional gender roles. In a study conducted in 1990, it was found
that women “lose authority... if they employ feminine styles of leadership in male-
dominated roles."[8] A meta-analysis conducted later yielded similar results in
which men and women are both perceived as more effective leaders in
stereotypical roles and both are found ineffective in non-traditional roles.[4.
When studying perception and effectiveness of men and women in leadership, in
multiple studies, Eagly found that men and women are perceived better by
subordinates and are seen as more effective leaders when in positions in
accordance to traditional gender roles. In a study conducted in 1990, it was found
that women “lose authority... if they employ feminine styles of leadership in male-
dominated roles."[8] A meta-analysis conducted later yielded similar results in
which men and women are both perceived as more effective leaders in
stereotypical roles and both are found ineffective in non-traditional roles.[

5. 4.
In contradiction to Eagly’s findings of
gender differences in leadership,
multiple studies have also claimed that
there are no significant differences
and that both men and women can and
will have differing and similar styles
of leadership

6. 5.
 Andersen and Hansson conducted a study to determine if there were significant
differences in leadership behaviors as claimed by previous studies and authors.
Andersen and Hansen studied public managers on leadership styles, decision-making
styles, and motivation profiles and found that the only differences were in decision-
making styles, but none were great enough to be considered significant.[10] Additionally,
in a 2010 study, men and women leaders in a large German sample were found to be the
same with respect to transformational leadership behavior.[11] Cliff (2005) studied
male and female business owners, who are free to manage as they see fit, as opposed to
middle managers who are more constrained, and found that no significant differences
exist in men and women's leadership behavior. According to the researchers, the
findings "challenge the gender-stereotypic argument that a leader's sex plays an
important role when it comes to organizational design and management."[12] These
studies correlate with other research cited by Vecchio (2002), Dobbins and Platt
(1986), Gibson (1995), and van Engen et al. (2001), who all argue that no significant
gender differences in leadership exist.[1][3