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A qualitative approach to the challenges for women in management: are they really starting in the 21st century?

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Abstract

Traditionally, the role of women in business responsibility jobs has provided extensive and much discussed issues. Almost 20 years ago research on WIB was very rich. Some discussions surrounding women in business included, for instance: learning about their situation at work, their strong and weak management capabilities and possible setbacks to their promotion and consolidation in positions of responsibility. In any case, it did seem that conciliation between family and work lives, in general, was a setback for most women. By the beginning of 21st century the work of Leonard (Women’s Stud Int Forum 24:67–78, 2001) analyzed the state-of-the-art, concluding that not much had changed in terms of the challenges faced by women. Therefore, it may seem appropriate, to readdress the situation for women in management as this new century reaches its first decade. This paper takes as a reference the context of an occidental and developed country such as Spain. We develop a multi-case study which allows us to (i) analyze the opinion of a group of women and men who work in high and intermediate management positions, (ii) defend the suitability to overcome the differences between men and women and (iii) admit the consideration of different female profiles. In such cases, firms may take several advantages stemming from both gender and personal characteristics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Business and Marketing, University “Pablo de Olavide”, 41 013, Sevilla, Spain

    Rosario Vázquez-Carrasco

  2. Areca Consulting Group, C/Marqués de Paradas, 24 5°D, 41 001, Sevilla, Spain

    Ma. Eugenia LĂłpez-PĂ©rez

  3. Department of Marketing, ITESM Monterrey, Campus de Ciudad de Mexico, C/del Puente, 222, 14 380, Mexico DF, Mexico

    Edgar Centeno

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  1. Rosario Vázquez-Carrasco
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  2. Ma. Eugenia LĂłpez-PĂ©rez
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  3. Edgar Centeno
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Correspondence to Rosario Vázquez-Carrasco.

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Vázquez-Carrasco, R., López-Pérez, M.E. & Centeno, E. A qualitative approach to the challenges for women in management: are they really starting in the 21st century?. Qual Quant 46, 1337–1357 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-011-9449-6

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