WOMEN MANAGERS - Mihajlo Pupin

I International Symposium Engineering Management And Competitiveness 2011 (EMC2011)
June 24-25, 2011, Zrenjanin, Serbia
WOMEN MANAGERS
Danka Rus
Student of Tehnical Faculty “Mihajlo Pupin”, Zrenjanin, Serbia
danka.rus@gmail.com
Edit Terek
Tehnical Faculty “Mihajlo Pupin”, Zrenjanin, Serbia
terekedita@gmail.com
Sanja Ristić
Student of Tehnical Faculty “Mihajlo Pupin”, Zrenjanin, Serbia
sanjicaristic@yahoo.com
Snežana Radosavljević *
Student of Tehnical Faculty “Mihajlo Pupin”, Zrenjanin, Serbia
snekirzr@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
This paper is about women in management, their position and presence in business. As the role of women has
changed in the past decade in society, so have changes been made in the work place. Women are not only
represented in the work force, but they are also key players in the decision making process. As women
continue to be represented in greater numbers, they are developing their own unique management style in the
work place. This paper examines contrasts the management style of women versus that of men. It also
includes term glass ceiling, remarkable women in the world and in Serbia.
Key words: women, management, glass ceiling, world, Serbia
INTRODUCTION
Economic activity of women is present even in prehistoric times, but their participation in the
workforce has changed throughout history, depending on various cultural and social factors. 2000th
BC, in Babylon women participated along with men in keeping livestock. In addition to these
activities, they were involved with raising children, preparing food, clothing and doing similar jobs.
With the development of cities, women first began to work outside home as a nurses, vendors at
markets and like that.
In the 14th century in France and England women began to engage in trades such as tailors of
women's clothing, so they began to be respected equally as men. During the 18th and 19th century,
when the Industrial Revolution took place, with the construction of factories women started to get
employment in them. After the Second World War the social position of women began to improve
dramatically. Women have begun to acquire the same rights as men, which resulted in their entry
into the business world, which until then was reserved only for the "stronger sex". 1948th The
International Labour Organization adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women. Before the adoption of this Convention, women had no rights
compared to men.
Throughout history, women have worked to satisfy their economic needs. If they were poor, they
were working, regardless of their marital status and if a man could not earn enough for the family.
They have always been responsible for raising children, regardless of whether they had a job or not.
Women were generally at a lower professional status and have less paid work (Radić, 2008).
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CHARACTERISTICS OF WOMEN MANAGEMENT, FEMALE VS MALE MANAGERS
Women are becoming increasingly important in the world market, not only as workers, but also as
owners, entrepreneurs and managers. We are witnesses that nowadays there is a larger number of
women who are on management positions, and that, the opportunity to demonstrate their
capabilities in the process of managing companies and making strategic decisions, are given to
them.
Numerous studies have shown that skills and knowledge held by women contribute to the
improvement of companies. Women are always trying to create a pleasant atmosphere for work and
an environment of trust, they rarely apply strict style of leadership.
The main differences between male and female managers: male managers have a completely
different approach to motivate employees, provide advices/orders and conduct meetings. Women
are bringing a style of management into the work force that is more caring and intuitive than that of
their male counterparts. Men are thought to have a traditional approach to management. The
traditional approach has characteristics of control, rigidity and chain of command.
Women, on the other hand, are bringing a style of management to the work place with
characteristics of openness, inclusion and empowerment for employees. Female managers are
persistent, flexible, team "players", democrats, resourceful, decisive, focused on the details,
creative and charming.
Female managers want to show everyone that they could be just as good, even better, than men.
This fight for changes will certainly bring them a better position, but also should serve as a great
signal to male managers, as well as the entire society, that in future will be more and more assertive
and ambitious women. Very interesting fact is that companies which are run by women are safer,
more stable and last longer than companies managed by men.
Successful women are influential in business decision-making, powerful in coordinating their work
projects and teams, decisive in choosing actions, good at fostering relationships and open to learn.
Women often have to choose between paid work and family, or they have to prioritize one over
another at some stage during their lives. Men seem to be able to “have it all” more easily, but
traditionally their participation in household tasks is far less than that of their female partners.
Table 1: Management positions for employees aged 16-64 by type of specialist, 2008
(www.scb.se/Pages/PressRelease____289990.aspx)
Managment function Women Men Distribution
Number Percent Number Percent Women Men
Finance and administration managers 6 200 30 7 800 16 44 56
Personnel and industrial relations managers 2 900 14 1 900 4 60 40
Sales and marketing managers 3 400 17 12 000 25 22 78
Advertising and public relations managers 900 4 800 2 53 47
Supply and distribution managers 900 4 4 600 10 16 84
Computing services managers 900 4 3 700 8 20 80
Research and development managers 600 3 3 000 6 17 83
Specialist managers not elsewhere classified 4 700 23 13 900 29 25 75
All specialist managers 20 400 100 47 700 100 30 70
The distribution between women and men is balanced in management positions of finance and
administration, personnel/industrial relations as well as sales and marketing. The largest male
dominance is among research and development managers and computer service mangers. None of
the management categories with specialist functions are dominated by women.
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Almost all of the companies that have floundered during the global economic crisis have been led
by men; coincidence or a sign that the times should change? Globally, fewer than five per cent of
the world’s top companies are led by women. Here in Serbia that percentage is even lower.
However, some intelligent, ambitious and diligent members of the fairer sex have managed to
clamber to the top of business in Serbia.
GLASS CEILING: SITUATION IN THE WORLD AND IN OUR COUNTRY
“Glass ceiling” is a term coined in the 1970s in the United States to describe the invisible artificial
barriers, created by attitudinal and organizational prejudices, which block women from senior
executive positions. Although women share nearly 50% of total employment in the so-called
“developed world” (and Serbia), they still occupy few of the positions with the most power. The
glass-ceiling phenomenon refers to an informal barrier that women face in getting to the highest
management positions. The reasons for its existence are numerous and persistent. They involve
traditional gender roles, work and life organization, social attitudes toward women managers and
women workers themselves. Also include cultural sanctions, educational barriers, legal restrictions,
corporate obstacles and women’s disinterest in pursuing a traditional masculine career. Most of the
time they are the only female at that level and are surrounded by males. Some women have faced
sexual harassment, wage inequality, blocked movement and gender stereotyped roles With the
reasons for the problem so deeply rooted, solutions involve the whole society. Foreign experiences
show that once it is recognized – the glass ceiling can at least crack. A number of different tactics
are offered. However, their implementation in Serbia is questionable, because when it comes to the
glass ceiling – the society remains ignorant and silent.
The overall employment situation of women has not evolved significantly since 2001. The ILO’s
Global Employment Trends (2003) reported that women continue to have lower labour market
participation rates, higher unemployment rates and significant pay differences compared to men.
Women represent over 40 per cent of the global labour force, approximately 70 per cent of women
in developed countries and 60 per cent in developing countries. There has also been little change in
their share of professional jobs in the last few years.
Occupational segregation is the principal reason for persistent pay gaps. Women are also likely to
have shorter careers than men of the same age because they tend either to leave their jobs or work
part-time in order to fulfil family responsibilities and return to full-time employment at a later
stage. This leads to slower promotion and less pay. Differences in fringe benefits and bonuses
offered to men and women managers are also factors contributing to earnings gaps.
In general, countries in North America, South America, and Eastern Europe have a higher share of
women in managerial jobs than countries in East Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East.
New research from Grant Thornton International reveals that women still hold less than a quarter of
senior management positions in privately held businesses globally. 24% of senior management
positions are currently held by women - a figure identical to 2007 and only a marginal
improvement from 2004 when only 19% of senior level positions were held by women. 34% of
privately held businesses globally have no women in senior management. Women hold a mere 1 to
3 per cent of top executive jobs in the largest corporations around the world. (L. Wirth, 2004)
The greatest percentage of women in senior management is in the Philippines where women hold
47% of senior positions. They are followed by Russia (42%) and Thailand (38%). The lowest
percentage continues to be in Japan where only 7% of senior management positions are held by
women. Also appearing low down the league table are Denmark (13%) and Belgium (12%).
Countries in Central and Eastern Europe such as Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the
Russian Federation and the Ukraine are among the highest ranking for women in management,
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along with other industrialised countries such as Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the United
Kingdom. The United States also appears in this league under a data category that includes
administrative workers.
Many governments throughout the world have acted to promote gender equality in all sectors of
society with varying degrees of success by introducing quota systems or “temporary corrective
measures seeking to increase women’s representation in decision-making and policy making
processes. Across Europe, only 10 per cent of board directors of the largest companies are female
(quotas have made Norway the exception, with more than 40 per cent) and the numbers are even
lower in Asia.
Serbian version of glass ceiling is very interesting, because of effects of several factors converge
here:
1. Traditionally patriarchal culture and returning during the nineties (Women can be seen as
housewifes and mothers; women were sent to forced rest)
2. Socialism from the recent past (equality at work while retaining all household tasks)
3. Attempting to turn in the EU- the transition which includes compliance with European
legislation on gender equality in the labor market (Lukić, Jovanović, 2003, stated that
women go worse in transition because they neglect the specificity of their position).
According to data SIEPA women account for less than 42% of total labor force in Serbia. Sex
segregation of occupations is expressed. Lukić i Jovanović (2003) report that women are underrepresented
in managament in the corporate sector, which has better prospects nad higher salaries.
The researches dealing with working women are small numbered, and those one about women in
the managerial positions are even less. That is somewhat surprising, given that now some
prominent positions, although very few, are covered by women (eg President and Vice President of
the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, 4 Minister of the Republic of Serbia, the Rector
of Belgrade University).
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL WOMEN IN THE WORLD AND IN SERBIA
Each year Financial times publishes a list of 50 most successful women managers. The same was
done at the end of 2010 when it presented annual list of the top women manager. This report
celebrates women business leaders around the world. The fact is that their numbers remain tiny.
Just 3 per cent of Fortune 500 chief executives are women. Across Europe, only 10 per cent of
board directors of the largest companies are female (quotas have made Norway the exception, with
more than 40 per cent) and the numbers are even lower in Asia. This is all the more surprising
given the substantial evidence that better gender balance has a positive impact on performance.
According to this list the first place was taken by Indira Nooi. This 55-year-old Indian is manager
of Pepsi since 2006. She is on the leading positon at Financial times for two years. The second is
the manager of Avon cosmetics Andrea Jung, who has managed the company during the last 11
years. Third place is taken by Güller Sabanci, manager of the Turkish Sabanci Group which has
more than 60 000 employees in 15 countries. Another manager in the food industry takes a high
fourth place among the top 50 female managers, Irene Rosenfeld who directs a multinational
company Kraft Foods, based in the Unated State. Fifth place went to a Chinese Dong Mingzhu who
is the head of the company manufacturing household appliances Gree E Lectric Applieances. She is
the most famous Chinese woman in the business who is highly regarded in her country. Next on the
line is one africo- american women, Ursula Burns, executive director of the famous Xerox
Corporation and this year was first appearance in the list of top female managers. Yoshiko
Shinohara, 76-year-old Japanese woman who run the company Temp Holdings is in seventh place.
Another "rookie" on the list found among the top 10. This is Ellen Kullman, director of the
American company Dupont. On the ninth place ranking list is another Chinese woman, Cheung
Yan founder and director of the company Nine Dragons Paper, whose wealth was estimated at 5.6
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illion dollars. List of the top 10 completes American Patricia A. Woetz who leads a ADM
company from Illinois which employs 29,000 people in 60 countries.
Draginja Djuric - President of the Banca Intesa Executive Board, the Banker of the year in Serbia
seven times. under her leadership, the bank became part of an international group, successfully
reorganised its operation and harmonised it with the policies and standards of its parent group, as
well as international banking principles.
Jelena Drakulic-Petrovic, General Manager of the largest Media Publishing House in Serbia,
Ringier D.O.O. have been at Ringier since 2004, started from marketing, through business
development and publishing management till becoming general manager of all Ringier activities in
Serbia in 2008.
Ivana Veselinovic, President of the Port of Belgrade; Senior Vice President of Delta Holding
Veselinovic is also a member of the Governing Board of the Belgrade Chamber of Commerce,
MTEL and the Executive Committee of NALED (National Alliance for Local Economic
Development); and a member of the Serbian Business Club Privrednik and the Italian Council.
Dragica Pilipovic Chaffey, CEO SBB – Serbia Broadband – Serbian Cable Network, Pilipovic-
Chaffey has contributed to raising the quality of SBB and has entered the company into new
technological and software projects in Serbia and the region.
Jasmina Knezevic, General Manager of Belmedic General Hospital, in 1995 she founded the Clinic
Bel medic and by 2005 it had developed to become the Bel Medic Private General Hospital and
Health Centre, intended to provide treatment for children and adults in almost all areas of medicine.
Smiljka Mileusnic Adzic, Jugohemija A.D, Director General, with Mileusnic Adzic at the helm,
Jugohemija has established a new medical supplies model, expanded imports and the distribution of
foreign medicines, introduced and broadened the appeal of domestic medicines and focused on
other areas of the industry.
Draginja Radonic-Petrovic, M&V Investments A.D. Novi Sad, Chairman of the Board of Directors
founded in 1995, M&V Investments has grown to become one of Serbia’s leading Borkerage
Houses, boasting over 27,000 contented clients and controlling between 17 and 18 per cent of the
total stock exchange business in Serbia.
Jelena Petkovic, the Executive Director of Tigar corporation, has won the award Business Lady of
the Year 2010.
CONCLUSION
As far as women’s share of managerial positions is concerned, the rate of progress is slow and
uneven. Women are not given as many opportunities as men to do the more demanding responsible
jobs, which would advance their careers.
A postulate on democracy is the equality of all members of society, including working women and
their presence in management. On this aspect of their gender in Serbia is still always so much talk,
but in economically more developed parts of the world the importance of the presence of women in
managerial structures of all industries have long been observed. Researches show that working
women in Serbia feel unfairly unbalanced and that they easily identify the factors that hinder their
career advancement.Women are currently untapped resource of potentially great value, especially
during the fight for some sort of competitiveness in world markets. There are already developed
models of problems solving glass ceiling or at least mitigate of action, but the first is that public
must wake up consciousness of it.
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