Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Differences in Male and Female Management Characteristics: A Study of Owner-Manager Businesses

  • Published:
Small Business Economics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The rise in the number of female managers in recent years has fuelled the debate whether their management characteristics differ in any way from their male counterparts. While most researchers have tended to analyse these gender-related differences within large organisations, this study sets out to explore whether gender has an impact on management characteristics of male and female business owner-managers. In particular, the focus is on the management of established businesses, rather than start-ups. The management characteristics are studied in terms of (1) the owner-manager's managerial style, (2) the nature of the organisational structure, (3) the degree of delegation within the organisation, (4) the manner in which strategic objectives are set, and (5) the importance of personal objectives in the decision making process. In view of its findings that there are significant differences between male and female owner-managers in the way they manage their businesses, the paper considers implications for theory and policy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alle, S. and C. Truman, 1988, ‘Women's Work and Success in Women's Businesses', Paper presented to the 11th U.K. National Small Firms Policy and Research Conference.

  • Antal, A. B., 1992, ‘Trapped in the Ice’, International Management 47(3), 42-45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baines, S. and J. Whellock, 1998, 'Working for Each Other: Gender, the Household and Micro-business Survival and Growth 17, 16-33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowman-Upton, N., A. Carsrud and K. Olm, 1987 ‘New Venture Funding for the Female Entrepreneur’, in N. Churchill N. (eds.), Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research, Wellesley, MA: Babson College.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brush, C. G., 1992, ‘Research on Women Business Owners: Past Trends, a New Perspective and Future Directions’, Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice 17(4), 5-30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buttner, H. and B. Rosen, 1988, ‘Bank Loan Officers’ Perceptions of the Characteristics of Men, Women and Successful Entrepreneurs’, Journal of Business Venturing 3(3), 249-258.

    Google Scholar 

  • Capowski, G. S., 1992, ‘Be Your Own Boss? Millions of Women Get Down to Business’, Management Review 81(3), 24-30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carter, S. and T. Cannon, 1992, Women as Entrepreneurs: A study of Female Business Owners, Their Motivations, Experience and Strategies for Success, London: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaganti, R., 1986, ‘Management in Women-Owned Enterprises’, Journal of Small Business Management 24(4) (October), 18-29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chell, E. and S. Baines, 1998, ‘Does Gender Effect Business Performance? A Study of Microbusinesses in Business Services in the U.K.’, Entrepreneurship and Regional Development 10, 117-135.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cromie, S., 1987, ‘Motivations of Aspiring Male and Female Entrepreneurs’, Journal of Occupational Behaviour 8, 251-261.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cromie, S. and J. Hayes, 1988, ‘Towards a Typology of Female Entrepreneurs’, The Sociological Review 36(1) (February).

  • Curran, J., 1986, ‘Bolton Fifteen Years on: A Review and Analysis of Small Business Research in Britain 1971–1986’, Small Business Research Trust, London.

  • Farmanfarmaian, R., 1988, ‘Are Women Starving Their Businesses?’, Working Woman 13(10) (October), 114-117.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fry, F. L., (1993) Entrepreneurship: A Planning Approach, New York: West Publishing Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goffee, R. and R. Scase, 1985, Women in Charge, London: Allen and Unwin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hess, B. B. and M. M. Ferree, 1987, Analyzing Gender: A Handbook of Social Science Research, Sage Publications Inc., California, U.S.A.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffer, W., 1987, ‘Businesswomen: “Equal but Different” ’, Nations Business 75(8) (August), 46-47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hisrich, R. and M. O'Brien, 1982, ‘The Women Entrepreneur as a Reflection of the Type of Business’, in K. H. Vesper et al. (eds.), Frontiers of Enterpreneurship Research, Wellesley, MA: Babson College.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hisrich, R. and C. Brush, 1984, ‘The Women Entrepreneur: Management Skills and Business Problems’, Journal of Small Business Management 33 (January).

  • Humphries, M. and J. McClung, 1981, ‘Women Entrepreneurs in Oklahoma’, Review of Regional Economics and Business 6, 13-20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koontz, H., C. O'Donnel and H. Weihrch, 1980, Management, London: McGraw-Hill Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, D. and P. H. Friesen, 1982, ‘Innovation in Conservative and Entrepreneurial Firms: Two Models in Strategic Momentum’, Strategic Management Journal 3(1), 1-25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, D. and J. M. Touslouse, 1986, ‘Chief Executive Personality and Corporate Strategy and Structure in Small Firms’, Management Science 32(11), 1389-1409.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mintzberg, H., 1990, ‘The Design School: Reconsidering the Basc Premises of Strategic Management’, Strategic Management Journal 43(1), 171-195.

    Google Scholar 

  • Muir, E. J., 1994, ‘Enterprising Women in Europe, Balancing Private and Public Lives’, Equal Opportunities Review 13(1–3), 39-49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mukhtar, S. M., 1996, ‘A Case for Gender-Based Entrepreneuralism, Business Competence Development Model, and Policy Implications: A Global Perspective’, in D. Lascu, E. Kaynak and Z. U. Ahmed (eds.), Forging Alliances in Global Markets, International Management Development Association, November 1996, pp. 224-229.

  • Mukhtar, S. M., 1997, ‘Small is Still Beautiful: Are Female Owned/Managed Businesses Less Entreprenurial or Just Different’, Business North West (May).

  • Mukhtar, S. M., 1998, ‘Business Characteristics of Male and Female SMEs in the U.K. — Implications for Gender-Based Entrepreneuralism and Business Competence Development’, British Journal of Management 9, 41-51.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), U.S.A.

  • Nelton, S., 1992, ‘Putting Women into Business’, Nation's Business 80(10), 56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelton, S. and K. Berney, 1987, ‘Women: The Second Wave... Starting Their Own’, Nation's Business 75(5), 23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olm, K., A. Carsrud and L. Alvey, 1988, ‘The Role of Networks in New Venture Funding for the Female Entrepreneur: A Continuing Analysis’, in Birchhoff et al. (eds.), Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research, Wellesley, MA: Babson College.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pelham A. M. and D. E. Clayson, 1988, ‘Receptivity to Strategic Planning Tools in Small MJanufacturing Firms’, Journal of Small Business Management (January), 43-50.

  • Pellegrino, E. T. and B. L. Rees, 1982, ‘Perceives Formative and Operational Problems Encountered by Female Entrepreneurs in Retail and Service Firms’, Journal of Small Business Management 20(2), 15-24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Riding, A. L. and C. S. Swift, 1990, ‘Women Business Owners and Terms of Credit: Some Empirical Findings of Canadian Experience’, Journal of Business Venturing 5(5), (September), 327-340.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, R. B. and J. A. Pearce, 1984, ‘Research Thrusts in 310 Syeda-Masooda Mukhtar. Small Firm Strategic Planning’, Academy of Management Review 9(1), 128-137.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosa, P., S. Carter and D. Hamilton, 1996, ‘Gender as a Determinant of Small Business Performance: Insights from a British Study’, Small Business Economics 8, 463-478.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosa, P. and D. Hamilton, 1994 'Gender and the Ownership in U.K. Small Firms, Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice 12, 11-27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosa, P., D. Hamilton, S. Carter and H. Burns, 1994, ‘The Impact of Gender of Small Business Management: Trends from a U.K. Study’, International Small Business Journal 12, 25-33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sexton, D. L. and N. Bowman-Upton, 1986, ‘Validation of a Personality Index: Comparative Psychological Characteristics Analysis of Female Entrepreneurs, Managers, Entrepreneurship Students and Business Students’, in R. Ronstadt, J. Hornaday, R. Peterson and K. Vesper (eds.), Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research, Wellesley, MA: Babson College.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scarborough, N. M. and T. W. Zimmer, 1987, ‘Strategic Planning for Small Business’, Business 2(2), 11-19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, E. B., 1976 ‘Entrepreneurship: A New Female Frontier’, Journal of Contemporary Business 53 (Winter), 47-75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sirpolis, N. C., 1977, Small Business Management: A Guide to Entrepreneurship, Boston: Houghton Miffin Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Small Business Service, 2000, Statistical Bulletin Small and Medium Sized Enterprises, London, www.sbs.gov.uk.

  • Solomon, G. T. and L. W. Fernald, 1988, ‘Value Profiles of Male and Female Entrepreneurs’, International Small Business Journal 6(3).

  • Stevenson, L. A., 1986, ‘Against All Odds: The Entrepreneurship of Women’, Journal of Small Business Management 24(4), 30-36.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. D20 Langdale Road, Sale, Cheshire, M33 4EN, United Kingdom

    Syeda-Masooda Mukhtar

Authors
  1. Syeda-Masooda Mukhtar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mukhtar, SM. Differences in Male and Female Management Characteristics: A Study of Owner-Manager Businesses. Small Business Economics 18, 289–310 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015235402335

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015235402335

Keywords

Search

Navigation