Gender and Management
By Mark Tosczak

hink women manage differently? Think again, says management professor Howard Aldrich.

It's a popular misconception that women manage differently than men - that they're more collaborative in their management styles - because they've been socialized differently. But a review of the scientific literature on the subject finds few differences in the way men and women manage.

"The overwhelming conclusion of all of this is, at best, there's a slight hint that women might be a little more interested in collaborative instead of conflictive behavior," Aldrich said. "But I can guarantee you won't be able to tell, if I simply describe the behavior, if it's a man or a woman in a job."

Some studies, where people were asked to perform management tasks in a controlled environment, have found virtually no difference in the way men and women approach a job. The question - still unanswered - is whether that's because women and men adapt their behavior to the organization's environment, or because the innate behavioral differences between the genders just aren't that great.

Aldrich has studied the phenomena among a group of small business owners in Canada.

The study (http://www.unc.edu/~healdric/Workpapers/WP140.pdf) found that even when the business owners were women and therefore had the opportunity to create their own corporate culture rather than adopt one, their management styles were still similar to men's.

There are some differences in the composition of the professional networks of men and women, Aldrich said. Men's networks, for instance, tend to be overwhelmingly - 80 to 90 percent - comprised of other men. That's partially a reflection of professional environments that, especially at senior management levels, may still tend to be heavily male.

Women's networks, on the other hand, are 35 to 40 percent comprised of other women, Aldrich said.

"Some people call it the choice network," Aldrich said, where women have sought connections with more women. But Aldrich cautions that there are also examples of programs where women executives have been paired with male mentors to great success.

One formal program designed to strengthen women's networks and their success in business is the Springboard venture forum. Kenan-Flagler hosted the first Springboard: Southeast 2002 on Sept. 27, where high-potential women entrepreneurs were able to present their business plans during venture capital showcases. Past Springboard events have helped women entrepreneurs raise about $750 million in investment capital.

The bottom line? Whether you're a man or a woman, it's better to have a network that includes people who are different from you.