Challenges for Women in International Management - Essay Example

Challenges for Women in International Management Lecturer: Introduction During the last two decades of the 20th century and theearly years of the 21st there was a significant increase in international business activity as a result of globalization. International mobility materialized within the framework of competitive differentiation for organizational success within the international economy. As a result international professions for women have become a normal focus for both academicians and practitioners. Various companies seem to have some beliefs that reinforce the hesitation to send women in expatriate assignments. Some of the reasons for hesitating to send women on expatriate assignments include the belief female expatriates face stressful life in host nations compared to male counterparts because of the difficulties associated with balancing work and private spheres. Traditional norms regarding women care and domestic responsibilities are significant within various western nations and are persistent even for women seeking expatriate assignments. Lifestyle choices considered by female expatriate managers appear to be difficult compared to those of domestic female managers. A culmination of various theories result in many obstacles that female managers have to overcome in order to be able reach a position that would enable international assignment. However, the prolonged theory on the subject regarding few women in international assignment includes duality of work-family conflict as well as the perceived future conflict between work and family. Two possible strategies that can be used by MNCs in order to influence the potential of female managers and the strategies include equity approach and complimentary approach. The equity approach assumes similarity between men and women while complementary approach focuses on the assumed differences between the genders. International human resources management involves employing and rewarding people in international organization and includes management of people and not merely expatriates. Culture as well as environmental diversity remains an essential issue in International human relations with one of the major dimensions being masculinity versus femininity. MNCs hesitation to send women on international assignments Companies have various reasons for hesitation when sending women on international assignment among the reasons is the belief that foreigners are prejudiced against women and that female leaders would not be successful. Moreover, dual-career issues are inseparable as well as the concern for female physical safety because of the dangers that may be involved in travelling to underdeveloped nations. As well, MNC consider the isolation as well as loneliness that may be associated to an expatriate assignment. The frequent reason companies offer for hesitating to send female managers on international assignments include foreigner prejudice against women that make the women ineffective as expatriate managers. The main reason for selecting males over females is linked to the needs of the business that mainly involves avoiding a costly failure and promoting as well as optimizing competitive viability of business abroad. The main reasons for selecting men over females include the presence of strong cultural restrictions regarding the role of women in international business setting as well as the predominance of men in international business interactions. Moreover, other reasons include the great numbers of qualified males for international assignments and relative inability of females to adapt to challenging requirements present in foreign assignments. As well, hesitation by MNC to send women on international assignment is justified by the great vulnerability of females to the aggressive nature within foreign business environment that is dominated by males (Linehan & Scullion, 2001). Glass ceiling offers a stereotypical description of assumption by domestic senior management regarding women as managers and their suitability, availability and preferences for international assignments (Joshua-Gojer, n.d). It has been shown that women face barriers to their advances in organizations, barriers that do not exists for their male counterparts because many women hit the glass ceiling as they navigate the managerial hierarchy. Although, the metaphor regarding glass ceiling may be misleading, various counterproductive layers have influence on women seeking international assignments like tradition, socialization and negative stereotype that hinder development to senior managerial positions. Some of the barriers that hinder women from reaching senior management and being expatriate managers include, lack of mentoring, isolation and loneliness, exclusion from formal and informal networking and work-family conflict (Ravasi, Salamin & Davoine, 2013). Female expatriate managers imply that tradition practices as well as views reinforce patriarchal system where male operating procedures in companies are embedded in all cultures. Companies use human capital argument to underline the unsuitability of women’s characteristics as expatriates; hence women are either not selected because they present greater risk compared to their male counterparts. Moreover, women may have to prove themselves to a greater extent before they are selected even when their competencies correlate with expatriate success. The human capital argument with regard to women characteristics indicate that women invest less time in education compared to men and their investment target female-friendly subjects. These subjects are considered to be suitable for gaining employment in areas were females dominate instead of the international business environment that conventionally require male expatriation. However, education attainment indicators do not support the human capital argument with rest to overall investment in education (Mariano, Mohamed & Mohiuddin, 2011). Moreover, there are signs that gender gap in subject choices is closing and is likely going to positive influence the participation of females in the traditionally male environment (Mariano, Mohamed & Mohiuddin, 2011). The low uptake of women in global assignments is explicated by their inclination to put families before their careers when women get to a certain stage in life. Women usually have a non-linear career path and they often risk foregoing much in pursuing a traditionally linear male career pattern. Therefore, career interventions in organizations may not account for this because they tend to follow male model of linear employment continuity; hence, organizations lack specific career initiatives aimed at aiding women participation as expatriates. However, the changing nature of employment security, results in both men and women taking portfolio careers that enhance their drive for personal challenge and development; hence careers for both women and men are non-linear and discontinuous (Harris, 2002). However, women participation as expatriates is disadvantaged through organizational career structures and decisions that are made with respect to and development in them. Another challenge for women in expatriate jobs is the concern that considers women to have low social capital, which posits as a reason for slow entry into the expatriate world especially in male-dominated companies where chances for gaining social capital may be predicted as low (Harzing and Pinnington, 2011). However, policies regarding providing amenities in order for women to access networks and role models acts as a facilitator in for female expatriation by increasing social capital for women. Studies indicate respectability of these interventions by women and the value women perceive that the support would enhance their expatriate careers. The prevailing social norms allow men to rationally achieve employment goals without foregoing family life; however, this is not the same for women. The rationale choice for many women is to engage in a satisfying behavior in order to reach a high level of career and family goals instead maximizing one while risking the other. Although gender stereotype do not necessarily qualify or disqualify the entry of women, women tend to prefer occupations considered to be relatively easy to interrupt to allow childbearing. Nevertheless, gender forms part an individual’s identity and although people declare their identities based on their differences, this always requires collective validation. Women are therefore categorized according to their perceived general abilities instead of the abilities specific to a certain woman and shown as part of her identity. Therefore, social categorization as well as stereotyping of women in female roles in institutionalized decision-making systems seems to have a strong influence on women’s selection for expatriation making women less likely to be validated in expatriate selection decisions. Studies show that women can be successful expatriates and that the perception with regard to foreigners is a myth (Mariano, Mohamed & Mohiuddin, 2011). It is acknowledged that expatriates experiences helps in adjustment; hence, men have advantage in having greater expatriate experience compared to women. This is particularly true in the male-dominated sectors like construction, mining, oil and engineering where men hold expatriates roles. Hence, women’s low familiarity in these sectors may be construed as the reason for their non-appointment to foreign postings. To redress this balance, institutional action is needed to develop interventions aimed particularly to women who may seek to be expatriated to other nations. Women seem to face huge obstacle in being expatriates in their backyard because decisions seem to originate from preferences by home country managers for security and conformity and their pursuit of self-interest instead of being open to change and accepting candidates based on their merits especially when women are perceived as ‘aliens’ (Mariano, Mohamed & Mohiuddin, 2011). Conventionally, expatriates are men; hence, patriarchy also provides an explanation to challenge women face as men dominate and exploit women through systems of social structure where the structures are renewed and enhanced to preserve solidarity in men. Men generate institutional impediments that hinder women advancement and depend on solidarity at the cultural level to divide and even rule them; hence, women entry to male labor markets is limited to margins (Mariano, Mohamed & Mohiuddin, 2011). Through socialization, men and women are conditioned into behavioral roles leading to horizontal segregation of women within the workplace making them less likely to enter male disciplines. Hence, the low representation of women within the male-dominated expatriate industries like mining and construction. Overcoming Challenges female expatriates face Various strategies have been adopted by companies and the strategies include affirmative action programs, equal rights legislation and structural changes formulated to train women on managerial skills conventionally neglected in formal education as well as enhancing informal socialization to avoid tokenism (Adler, 1994).Tokenism is considered to be a practice or policy of carrying out symbolic effort, which results in high visibility and increased stereotypical responses from colleagues and increasing performance pressure on token women. The two main approaches capable of dealing with challenges face in international assignments include equity approach and complementary contribution strategy. The equity approach involves assimilation of female managers, which means that firms expect women to act like men who traditionally hold the aspired-to management positions. The complementary approach bases on the assumption that differences not similarities never aim at equal statistical representation. The goal is equivalent recognition of benefits associated with men and women differing patterns and styles of contribution to the various levels of the organization. By taking this approach, MNCs assume both men and women are different; hence, capable of making different and valuable contributions to an organization. Change strategies initially focus on establishing unique contributions of female and male managers and creating enabling conditions in order to encourage contributions from both male and female managers creating synergy. The creation of synergy implies combination of women and men contributions in forming innovative as well as powerful organizational solutions to businesses. In predicting the role of women in international management within each nation, it is essential for MNCs to acknowledge the role of women in management. Evidently, women career development does not entirely rely on individual investment in education and training but also on organizational practices that estimate capability in people and allocating them jobs. Since many managers lack full information regarding employees, they end up using structural indicators used in indicating capabilities. The indicators used include past education and previous job achievements as well as the evaluation of career velocity. The individuals considered to be most successful in this criterion receive most investment from the organization with regard to training and development. The organizational practices possibly disadvantage women considering the different career patterns as well sate initial job, which particularly problematic since the processes are rarely acknowledged by MNCs. This is because organizations are structured in such a way that encourages working life, which suits men but makes women position in working life problematic. Therefore, future female managers require the opportunity to develop their career like using a female model for career development that can result in more women reaching senior management levels as expatriates. The frequently used myth to the low number of female expatriates is women are less interested compared to men in pursuing international careers. However, studies show no significant differences because both male and female managers show interest pursuing international careers. Both male and female MBAs agree that organizations provide few opportunities to women compared to men and considerably fewer opportunities pursuing international management compared to females pursuing domestic management. Nevertheless, both male and female managers sow considerable interest in international assignments as opposed to the traditional perception that women are less interested to international careers. Although men and women differ in willingness toward working in certain locations, it is essential for organizations to ensure that they do not rely on sex stereotypes in developing candidate pool for international assignment because failure to consider women managers can limit the pool and deprive the organization of qualified managers. Moreover, exclusion of female managers from being considered in international assignments may constitute a charge of sex discrimination for the organization. Moreover, to bridge the gap between female and male international managers, there is need for more female role model in education. To enable female students interested in international business opportunities to consider themselves as potential candidates, they need relevant role models in portrayals as part of comprehensive international business education. Mobilization of role models in various organizational levels is considered one of the significant career support programs for women among other programs like supervisory support for career interests, providing mentors and encouraging network activities. According to Styven and Meijer (2002), women may miss opportunities in career development owing to the unavailability of female role models. Studies show positive relations between female career development and mentoring because female managers involved in mentoring programs feel that they attain more realistic expectations regarding their careers. Through mentorship, women can quickly learn political skills regarding organizational life and show mature as well as increased self-confidence. Studies according to Styven and Meijer (2002), studies show that many women in senior management positions have mentors; besides, women who never reach these levels cite absence of mentors as the main cause. Therefore, the low number of female expatriates may be caused by the limited supply of women mentors compared to men. Mentoring relations are significant in an international management context compared to domestic management because opportunities to access international assignments are partly accredited to having a mentoring relation. Although mentors are useful in early stages of career development, networking remains useful in all stages because such relations often last longer compared to mentoring and are not hierarchical and helps in both directions. Similar to benefits associated with mentoring, networking offers significant advantages because advantages are offered by both formal and informal networking and are valuable in international management compared to domestic management. Gaining access to male networks remains the most significant barrier for women in senior management to overcome because exclusion of females from male managerial groups seems to preserve male customs, traditions as well as negative attitudes toward female managers (Styven and Meijer, 2002). Although the role of international human resource manager vary depending on the orientation of an organization, it remains essential for managers to interpret international organizational strategy as well as develop policies that support the focus. The fundamental challenge for multinational organizations is establishing a system that effectively accommodates the conflicting needs associated with globalization. To effectively recruit and increase the number of women within expatriate position companies have to consider offering awareness training to counter the bias by emphasizing that women are capable of accepting international assignments. Moreover, MNC have to create a system for establishing and maintaining track of individuals willing to take foreign assignments with concerted efforts that target potential women. As well organizations can use successful women expatriates in order to encourage and recruit women by providing seminars and encouraging networking interactions and mentoring to evaluate the pros and cons associated with foreign assignments. MNC can be flexible in timing to allow women to decide whether they accept international assignment and MNC can accommodate possible child-care responsibilities that often fall on women (Vance & Paik, 2011; Minter, 2008). Conclusion The study shows that companies are hesitant to send women on international assignments because of the perceived hostility of foreigners, which may cause them to be inefficient expatriate managers. Moreover, it has been clear that men are preferred for international assignments because women are shown to be relatively unable to adapt to challenging requirements in foreign assignments, while men have greater qualifications that allow them to qualify for international assignments. This indicates that women to be selected for expatriate assignment; they have to be more qualified, ambitious and mobile when compared to their male counterparts. Organizational practices are utilized in estimating people’s ability and allocating jobs as well as training usually involve indicators like past education and achievements with regard to the perceived status and evaluation of career velocity. This in most cases disadvantage women considering their different career patterns as well as their initial choice of job. Dual career and family issues contribute to the challenges women face in international assignments because previous achievements and implicit career commitment that can pressure them until they are unable to take career breaks to deal with family matters. However, regardless of different willingness among members of both genders to work in specific locations, some studies show that both men and women are equally interested in international assignments. Moreover, mobilization of role models in different levels of an organization remains one of the most significant career support programs for women. Studies show that lack of adequate female role models may actually cause women to miss opportunities in career development. Another way of decreasing the gap between male and female international expatriates involves mentoring because mentoring is a significant informal factor that influences participation of women in international management. As well, networking is another essential way of ensuring that female expatriates never feel excluded in business discussions as well as the essential contact making taking place when male managers engage in informal networks. Allowing women to have access to networking groups can afford ladies socialization in both formal and informal ways, which can encourage women to engage in international management. References Adler, N.J. (1994). Competitive frontiers: women managing across borders. Journal of Management Development, Vol. 13 No 2, pp. 24-41. Harris, H (2002) ‘Think international manager, think male: why are women not selected for international management assignments? ‘ Thunderbird International Review, 44 (2) 175-203. Harzing, A-W and Pinnington, A H (2011) International Human Resource Management, 3rd edition, London: Sage, chapter 3. ‘Culture in International Human Resource Management’, Romani (79 – 118). Joshua-Gojer, A. (n.d). 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Available at: http://epubl.ltu.se/1404-5508/2002/033/LTU-SHU-EX-02033-SE.pdf Vance, C., & Paik, Y. (2011). Managing a global workforce: challenges and opportunities in international human resource management. Armonk, N.Y., M.E. Sharpe. Read More