(Presentation slides for Feminism in Management Research please number the slides if you can, Rob mentioned it
last week)
(slide one)
4. Feminist Research within a Managerial Context

Hawthorne studies in which male and female employees were subjects in an observational study
on working conditions and productivity. The overall findings were that the female employees had
increased productivity resulting from psycho-social support in the workplace, whilst the
researchers presented the increased output as “an explanation of the behavior of employees per
se” (Bryman & Bell, 2011, p. 417).
(Second slide)
Kelan studied mainstream management texts which were compiled to cater for career guidance and the
qualities that are required for new workers. The discourse analysis showed the three ways in which gender
is discussed (Kelan, 2008):
1. Awareness discourse which seeks to show the inclusivity of women in management
2. Individualisation discourse on the decreased importance of factors which affected equality, like
differences in pay.
3. The new ideal discourse, in which Kelan represents women as the new ideal worker.
On presenting women as the ideal worker, Kelan discusses how women are equipped with the correct
skills but are not paid equally to their male counterparts and unable to advance their managerial careers
due to the glass ceiling (Kelan, 2008).
(Third slide)
In developing female talent in managerial roles, our next study investigates the level of institutionalisation
of female talent development (FTD) practices in business schools across Africa. These practices are
informed by the assumption that there is an association between management education and career
advancement (Mintzberg, 2004). The practices outlined in the development plan are (Ibeh & Debrah,
2011):

training and coaching

targeted incentives

networking and mentoring