Women in leadership positions in universities: are they really queen bees?
ISSN: 2040-8269
Article publication date: 15 August 2022
Issue publication date: 7 April 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess the adherence to the traits of the queen bee phenomenon (QBP) for women who hold leadership positions in Brazilian higher education institutions (HEIs) and to compare their responses with those of women without leadership positions and of men on the same dimensions.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 703 academics from 88 HEIs participated in this study. The data were analyzed using a statistical package to calculate descriptive and inferential statistics. For these, 2 × 2 analysis of variance tests were performed to compare leader women vs nonleader women and leader women vs leader men.
Findings
The results indicate that leader women do not fit to all dimensions of the QBP. They report high averages to commitment, agency traits and personal sacrifices to career (Male self-description) and to meritocratic discourse. However, leader women assess their junior counterparts with higher averages to commitment and agency traits than women without leadership positions and leader men assess their junior counterparts. Women in leadership positions report superior identification with same gender colleagues and declare to be more supportive with affirmative policies for women's professional development than nonleader women and leader men.
Practical implications
This study reinforces that same gender conflict in the work environment is not a female characteristic and also promotes reflections on the influence of organizational culture, men hostility toward quotas and gender stereotypes for female progression in the academic context.
Originality/value
This study provides an empirical analysis of the QBP to academic women in Brazilian HEIs and compares its dimensions to nonleader women and leader men. The analysis of a sexist culture enabled original results, as nondistancing of the self-group, even if leader women presented some QB traits.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The Department of Research, Graduate Studies and Innovation (PRPI) of the Federal University of Cariri (UFCA, Brazil) for the support in infrastructure and funding through the Call n. 08/2019/PRPI.
Citation
da Rocha Grangeiro, R., Bastos Gomes Neto, M. and Esnard, C. (2023), "Women in leadership positions in universities: are they really queen bees?", Management Research Review, Vol. 46 No. 5, pp. 739-754. https://doi.org/10.1108/MRR-03-2021-0239
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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