Women managers’ views of manufacturing: nice work?

Abstract

Women in Britain comprise 44 per cent of the overall workforce (Labour Force Survey, 1994) and 10.7 per cent of those in managerial occupations (UK National Management Survey, 1995). While much research has documented and critiqued the structural position of women and its impact in the workplace, little empirical work has examined the way in which women see their work environments. Addresses this issue by exploring the way in which a sample of women managers in manufacturing describe the workplace. Using a measure of organizational climate, compares data from 156 women managers with a sample of 894 male managers. Also examines comparative levels of job satisfaction, organizational commitment and mental health. Results suggest that women managers see their organizational worlds in a significantly more positive light. Explores the explanations and practical implications of these findings.

Citation

Lawthom, R., Patterson, M., West, M. and Staniforth, D. (1996), "Women managers’ views of manufacturing: nice work?", Women in Management Review, Vol. 11 No. 6, pp. 3-10. https://doi.org/10.1108/09649429610127910