ABSTRACT
The past two decades have witnessed a remarkable increase in the proportion of women holding supervisory and management positions. In the federal government, women’s share of white-collar supervisory jobs grew from 18 percent in 1976 to 30 percent in 1996 (Central Personnel Data File). This growth has been accompanied by substantial debate about whether women perceive themselves, or are perceived by others, as having the abilities and traits required for management jobs (e.g., to act decisively, to make tough decisions, etc.) (Duerst-Lahti and Johnson 1992; Schein 1973; Ezell, Odewahn and Sherman 1980; Dubno 1985; Stewart 1990). Also at issue is whether women approach management in the same way as men, or whether they bring uniquely feminine characteristics and approaches to the job. This continuing controversy takes on particular significance at a time when some management theorists are suggesting that not only are new leadership qualities required in today’s environment, but for organizations to remain viable, they must become flatter and more flexible, and structured to encourage information sharing and teamwork (Boyett and Conn 1991; Garvin 1995; Bartlett and Ghoshal 1995a, 1995b; Mohrman, Cohen and Mohrman 1995).
