Women Managers in the Light of a Questionnaire Research Results
POLISH FEMALE MANAGERS 2000
Compared to American research
(Selected fragments of the Report)
Ewa Lisowska, the International Forum for Women
Richard T. Bliss, Lidija Polutnik; Babson College
June Lavelle, Project FIRMA 2000
Objectives
Data published by Central Statistical Office shows that women constitute about 1/3 of overall number of managers and directors. Due to further social, political and economic changes in our country, women will have more and more opportunities to become managers and entrepreneurs.
So far not many researches on Polish female managers have been conducted, despite the potential importance of the findings following this research for enterprises, policy-makers and women. Our report meets this need, presenting the first complete study on demographic, social and economic characteristic of women holding managerial positions in Poland, on factors facilitating women to be a success, women's management styles, and finally on needs of professional training for Polish female managers.
Methodology
As a research tool, we used postal questionnaires that were sent out to over 20 thousand female managers all over the country. Almost two-thousand women answered the questionnaires. Gathered samples cover wide spectrum of the population of female managers with respect to their age, education, social and economic status, residence, branch and sector of employment, type of enterprise, positions held and professional experience. We used such well database to:
- Measure percentage of women within overall number of managers in Poland;
- Draw up profile of Polish female managers as individuals, as well as in view of positions held, duties conducted and branches they are active in;
- Conclude on what determines some female managers do better than others (objectively and subjectively);
- Determine whether women are of specific characteristic, skills or management style, owing to what they may be, in fact, better managers than men;
- Determine what kind of training - issues and ways of performance - would be the most useful for Polish female managers for their further professional development.
Outcomes
Typical female manager - according to our survey - is 45 years old, married, with two children and lives in a city. She graduated from economic faculty and completed third level education by 1980. Only 13% of managers, who responded to our questionnaire, are single and only one fifth of them have no children. As many as 45% of female managers are the breadwinners for their families. They spent on average 51 hours per week at their work. These outcomes clearly prove that Polish female managers usually balance responsible professional work and personal life.
Average period of employment among our respondents was 22 years, on managerial positions - 13 years on average, on present position - 7 years. The respondents were usually employed as vice presidents and deputy directors; 20% of the respondents were presidents and directors. High and middle management levels in companies that were subject of our survey are still dominated by men (78% and 58% accordingly). Only at the lowest management levels there are almost the same number of women and men (47% to 53% respectively).
In the sample, there were mostly production enterprises (33% of the total number), related to trade and small repairs (30%) and performing other services (18%). Almost 1/3 of the respondents used to work in accountancy, and 27% - in finances. In marketing departments, there were 15% of the respondents, in personal (staff) departments - 13%, and in administration - 7%. Only 12% of the respondents used to work in State-owned enterprises, and about 1/10 were owners or co-owners of their enterprises.
Half of the respondents used to work in enterprises employing up to 50 people. Median of number of subordinates was 10, and subordinates of 25% of the respondents were only women. Female managers used to earn about 6,500 PLN on average, i. e. definitely more than other women, however still less than male managers. Despite this differentiation, majority of the respondents expressed their satisfaction with gained remuneration.
Factors that, in the opinions of female managers, significantly contributed to their promotion into managerial position were positive opinion that the respondent had in her professional community -62%, communication skills, information provision skills - 59%, previous professional success of the respondent - 50%. The respondents stated that these are the qualities of a good chief. Analysis of the management style represented by female managers leads to the following outcome: majority of respondents is typically of "male" as well as "female" nature. It should not be a surprise when we take into consideration the fact that women have more opportunities for promotion when they represent "male" management style. In this way, decision on absorbing male characteristics may turn out to be most rational and profitable for female managers.
Asked about their needs for permanent education and training, female managers were interested mostly in adequately selected self-study materials or in short, one-day seminars. In particular, the important majority of the respondents saw a need of training in law (91%), strategies of market competition (86%), setting the budget and financial forecasts (86%), human resources (84%) and making investment decisions (79%). Among other issues, also they pointed to training issues repeated: equipment and software training, marketing of new products, production planning and organisation and marketing polls. 90% of the respondents want to deepen their knowledge, however 76% of the respondents admit this is very hard to save up some spare time to read professional literature. It is visible that there is a strong need for channeled training improving professional training of respondents.
Conclusions
This survey is the first to provide such a complex analysis of the group of Polish female managers. Analysis of gathered outcomes leads to following conclusions:
- women significantly contribute to economic development in Poland and to growth of welfare of the community,
- women are relatively poorly represented on the highest managerial positions in enterprises, and, moreover, there is a big difference in remuneration received by men and women,
- majority of the respondents is satisfied with their income gathered, and state that women may be equally efficient as managers as men, many of them developed their own efficient management styles,
- Female managers have good précised needs for permanent education and professional training.
We hope Polish business leaders and people responsible for the State's economy and policymaking will recognize the importance of taking up necessary steps to counteract low representation of women at higher managerial levels and to position differences in remuneration won by men and women. We also think that efficient training programs, which will meet the expectations of Polish female managers, will significantly improve chances for a professional success and will help to better reconcile professional and family duties.
Results of this survey were published in our magazine "Woman and Business" 1997, No 1 and 2000, No 1-2.