With reference to theory and research, examine the view that women Essay

With reference to theory and research, examine the view that women need to demonstrate masculine qualities to succeed in organizations - Essay Example Women are always absent from top management levels simply because masculine transactional cultures act as obstacles to professional progress of the feminine gender. Apparently, masculine attitudes, cultural inclinations and organizational biases exclude women from occupying top professional levels (Francine 2010, p. 67). Basically, top professional within an organization like managing directors are traditionally expected to demonstrate traits such as decisiveness, aggressiveness, toughness, and intelligence. These traits are primarily associated with masculinity and not femininity; hence women are stereotypically viewed as being unable to act in ideal leadership manners (Gibling 2006, p. 03). In this regard, there is a popular view that women ought to demonstrate masculine attributes in order to proceed to top professional levels in organizations. Admittedly, traditional approaches like legislations and labor policies used to achieve gender equality in organizations have been instrumental in advancing the position of women within the corporate world. Unfortunately, these traditional approaches have fallen short of uplifting women past middle level management levels. Futility of legislations and labor policies in advancing women in the corporate world can be attributed to the organizational concept of glass ceiling (Gibling 2006, p. 04). In practical contexts, lack of female representation in boardrooms is an example of a glass ceiling that makes it hard for members of an organization to entertain the thoughts of working under female bosses. Also, family commitments and related reproductive issues act as barriers to advancement of women in workplaces. For example, women with the right academic and professional qualifications are eligible as candidates for top positions, but their ambitions and visions are cut short whenever th ey are forced to take maternity leaves and other family related commitments (Acker