Gendered nature of managerialism? Case of the National Health Service

International Journal of Public Sector Management - Tập 22 Số 2 - Trang 104-113 - 2009
KarenMiller1
1Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK

Tóm tắt

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to argue that managerialism, as applied to the public sector, contributes to a gendered organisational culture that disadvantages female career progression.Design/methodology/approachThe research was qualitative in approach and involved face‐to‐face interviews with male and female, clinical and non‐clinical managers (n=31) in Scotland's health service.FindingsThe main finding is that public sector managerialism, and consequent transactional and stereotypical masculine styles of management, inhibits female career progression.Practical implicationsManagerialism as currently applied in the public sector creates certain inefficiencies by limiting the potential of women, which has implications for female career progression in the public sector, succession management and the sustainability of services.Originality/valueThe paper adds to a growing body of evidence that stereotypical masculine styles of management create an organisational culture that affects female career progression. Furthermore, the paper will be of value in understanding the factors that impact on female career progression within the public sector, which is of importance given that the majority of public sector employees in the UK, particularly in the health sector, are female.

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