"Det blir ett totalt utanförskap" - könsperpektiv på kvinnors karriärutveckling

Abstract

T h e p u r p o s e of t h e p r o j e c t in this p a p e r is t o study w o m e n ' s c a r e e r d e v e l o p m e n t in o r d e r to e l u c i d a t e obstacles as well as a d v a n t a g e s f r o m a g e n d e r perspective. "Women in m a n a g e n t " s t u d i e s have so f a r mostly c o n c e n t r a t e d o n w o m e n already in a leadi n g p o s i t i o n . T h e p r o b l em is, however, that these women have very little t o say a b o u t why t h e numb e r of w o m e n in l e a d i n g p o s i t i o n is so small. For this reason I have concentrated on following the c a r e e r d e v e l o p m e n t of a g r o u p of w o m e n working o n lower levels of a big, d e c e n t r a l i s e d g o v e r m e n t a l o r g a n i s a t i o n . Some of t h e women have clear c a r e e r a m b i t i o n s ; they want to be p r o m o t e d and gain l e a d i n g positions, o t h e r s have not s t a t e d any personal i n t e r e s t in p u r s u i n g a career. T h e study conc e n t r a t e s on i n t e r a c t i o n a n d intrapsychological as well as s t r u c t u r a l m o d e l s of analysis a r e used. My h y p o t h e s i s is t h a t t h e c u l t u r a l r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s of f e m i n i n i t y a n d those of l e a d e r s h i p are diverg e n t , a fact w h i c h compels w o m e n to use specific s t r a t e g i e s in o r d e r to r e c o n c i l e g e n d e r identity with that of a leader. Since this article is a work-in-progess-report the r e u l t s I p r e s e n t a r e only p r e l i m i n a r y . It is possible, however, t o i d e n u f y at least two significant strategies. O n e c o u l d b e c a l l e d a g e n d e r - n e u t r a l strategy, wher e t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e of g e n d e r in l e a d e r s h i p is d e n i - e d a l t o g e t h e r . T h e o t h e r strategy is to emphasis e specific f e m a l e q u a l i t i e s as a tool to b e u s e d in ord e r t o c h a n g e t h e p r e v a i l i n g m a l e n o r m c o n n e c t e d with l e a d e r s h i p . T h e q u e s t i o n is w h e t h e r t h e organ i s a t i o n is p r e p a r e d to invest in t h o s e w o m e n who see themselves as p o t e n t i a l t r a n s f o r m e r s of tradit i o n a l male values. In a follow-up study I am g o i n g t o s c r u t i n i s e t h e s e l e c t i o n process in t h e oraganisat i o n in o r d e r to see which w o m e n are c h o s e n for l e a d i n g p o s i t i o n s in t h e f u t u r e .