Role of Women in Management

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THE CHANGING ROLE OF WOMEN IN MANAGEMENT AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS: THE SPANISH EXAMPLE Simon Mowatt

Paper Number 21-00 RESEARCH PAPERS IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
ISSN NUMBER 1366-6290

THE CHANGING ROLE OF WOMEN IN MANAGEMENT AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS: THE SPANISH EXAMPLE

Simon Mowatt

Abstract
This paper seeks to describe the management experience for women in Spain, concentrating on the broad picture, then examining the individual experiences of managers in the workplace. The paper examines the cultural and sector specific barriers to female managers in Spain. The study examines the potential opportunities afforded to female managers by MNCs. An understanding of the role and experience of female managers in the Spain not only gives us a greater understanding as to the domestic Spanish business economy, but is of interest to international business management and to those interested in the position of women in management in general.

I. Introduction The last few decades have witnessed increasing the internationalisation of business. In addition to this, there has been a social revolution in the developed market economies whereby increasing numbers of women have joined the management workforce. However, the growth of female managers in the workforce has developed at differing rates in different countries. For businesses involved in cross-border production, it is more and more likely that the host management labour pool may include female managers. In addition to an understanding of human resources issues in different countries, international business would benefit from a greater understanding of the more neglected experience of female managers in each economy. This exploratory paper seeks to describe the management experience for women in Spain, concentrating upon both introducing the broad picture, then examining the individual experiences of managers in the workplace. An

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