This document summarizes a study that used Ashcraft's four frameworks to analyze gendered leadership discourse in the TV show "Undercover Boss". The study examined 8 episodes featuring 4 female CEOs and 4 male CEOs. Transcripts from the episodes were analyzed to understand how gender organizes leadership discourse and vice versa. The frameworks posit that gender, leadership, organizing, and societal norms influence one another through discourse. The analysis sought to understand how gender is represented in the leadership styles shown on the program.

1. Discovering Gendered Leadership
Through Discourse
Dina: So I talked to Mary Thompson who is actually the president of
Roto-Rooter. I said Mary I’d just like you to check into this ‘cus
Wayne shared his concerns with me and I’m going to continue to
follow up in this relationship and so we’ll take care of all of these
compensation issues.
How is leadership gendered on
the show Undercover Boss?
We use Ashcraft’s four frameworks to
represent a continuous relationship
among gendered leadership,
organizing and discourse in the
television show, Undercover Boss.
Steve: I knew I was going to learn a lot, about our company, about our
programs. What I got surprised by is the quality of the people we’ve got
in our hotels. As I think about it, we’re all part of the Choice family at this
point. We don’t always act like it, but we should.
Theoretical Framework:
Ashcraft’s Four Frameworks
1) Gender, Organizes Leadership
Discourse
2) Leadership Discourse Organizes
Gender
3) Organizing (En)genders
Leadership Discourse
4) Societal Norms (En)gender
Leadership Discourse
Analysis of 8 episodes:
-Iterative Approach
-four female CEOs, four male CEOs
-192 single spaced pages of data
By: Ana Popovic
With direction and assistance of Peter Jensen and
Dr. Rebecca Meisenbach
University of Missouri
Department of Communication