Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Bridging the Gender Gap in Business Communications

1998; Volume: 2; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

1939-4691

Marcia L. James, Jimmy Peltier,

Gender Diversity and Inequality

INTRODUCTION Few changes have affected the business world as much as the increased number of women entering the job market (Epting, Glover, & Boyd, 1994). In particular, the relatively rapid transition away from a predominantly male workforce to one of more equal gender representation has left many organizations unprepared for dealing with communication barriers that arise between the two sexes (Tingley, 1993). To a great extent, these barriers are due to the fact that business communications have not sufficiently evolved to accommodate the increased role that women have in the workplace (Tannen, 1994a). The failure to understand gender-specific communication styles has contributed to a number of problems for the business community. First, tension between genders frequently occurs as the result of mutually unsatisfactory interpersonal interactions (Filipczak, 1994). Moreover, increased levels of cross-gender tension negatively impact the working environment, which in turn reduces job satisfaction for men and women alike (Rifkind, 1992). Second, because the business world has traditionally been a male-dominated work environment, women-oriented communication styles often create gender inequities with regard to promotion decisions, raises, and job opportunities (Brownell, 1993; Dell, 1992). Educators can play a major role in helping to prepare prospective managers for inter-gender business communications. Unfortunately, little research exists that has focused on understanding and closing the gender communication gap in the business community (Limback & Bland, 1996; Smith, 1992). The vast majority of gender-related research has been studied in the psychology and social psychology disciplines. Moreover, many educators are themselves unaware of gender-specific communications and, in fact, may unintentionally utilize teaching practices that perpetuate gender biases (Darling & Sorg, 1993; Failing in Fairness [video], 1994). This study was designed to increase understanding of communication differences as they relate to prospective male and female business managers of the 21st century. Special attention is given to identifying male-oriented, female-oriented, and gender-neutral communication traits. An increased awareness of gender-specific communication styles is critical for closing the gender gap and for developing better interpersonal relationships in the workplace. Furthermore, to work together, men and women owe it to each other to have a clear understanding of their communication values and objectives including what they have in common and how they differ (Whitaker, 1992). To accomplish this objective, the following approach will be taken. First, research that has explored relevant gender issues will be reviewed. Included in this review will be a discussion of pertinent gender-specific communication dimensions. Second, results from a study designed to measure communication traits along a gender continuum will be presented. Lastly, strategies that educators could take to make prospective managers more sensitive to gender communication differences and for adapting to these differences will be provided. OVERVIEW OF GENDER COMMUNICATION From about age three, boys and girls start interacting more frequently in gender-separate groups. These groups take on unique norms and characteristics: girl groups form more intimate friendships, show greater cooperation, and strive harder to maintain social relationships; while boy groups play rougher, become increasingly more competitive, and show greater demonstrations of dominance (Maccoby, 1990). As they mature through their adolescence years to adulthood, males and females continue to exhibit these gender differences (Cross & Madson, 1997). In terms of management styles, Phillips (1995) contends that men can be compared to warriors who look at work as a competitive battlefield with certain winners and losers. …