Dones directives i lideratgeel cas de les empreses gironines

Abstract

The thesis aims to analyze womens access to managerial positions within firms, their leadership style, an the difficulties they encounter while working in management. The academic literature on leadership was revised, to reveal two main styles: transactional and transformational. From this, a series of studies were compiled, and an analysis of the differential characteristics of gender and the effect this has on leadership style was done, in order to draw up a conceptual framework which was later applied in the empirical study The empirical study refers to the situation of women managers within firms in Girona County. Firstly, it was necessary to approach firms in order to locate women managers, and bid up a profile of them, their managerial style, access to managerial positions and the difficulties encountered in the process, with special attention/emphasis being given to the conciliation between work and family roles. The study also analyzes the motivation behind women becoming managers. The methodology used includes both quantitative and qualitative analysis: For the quantitative, two questionnaires we used; the first was addressed to both male and female managers of a sample of firm in Girona County, from which 252 valid questionnaires were obtained. The second questionnaire was addressed to the women managers of the sample, and 100 valid questionnaires were finally obtained. Subsequently, 19 women managers were interviewed while collecting the data from de questionnaires in the qualitative faze. These discourses were later analyzed. The transactional and transformational leadership styles of the top managers were assessed, and the results gave high importance to the transformational leadership style. The data analysis shows us that: the majority of the firms concerned are small or medium-sized family businesses, from the service and industry sectors. A high percentage of women accessing managerial positions did it via family connections, or by having set up their own business. The leadership style most favored is transformational, according to the performance of the firms. The underlying motives to be managers prove to be self-realization, personal development, and a desire for the family business to continue. Gaining power and/or influence are not valued items. Regarding the difficulties women have in been managers, the women executives in the sample had not encountered significant problems; however, they do feel that due to being women, they have had to prove their ability and worth as managers at certain times. Finally, despite recent research on the subject proving that women, as managers, bring very positive influences to firms, in large firms there is still not enough women in top level executive positions so they can access the executive board, with the exception of those who are members of the shareholding families.