Feminist Organizational Theory: Applications to Public Organizations

 Feminist Organizational Theory: Applications to Public Organizations

 

Introduction:

Over the past quarter-century, feminist critiques of organizational theory have shifted from individual-focused concerns about sex discrimination to a broader examination of how organizations perpetuate gender stereotypes. While various feminist schools of thought have contributed to this critique, there has been limited attention to gender issues in public organizations within the public administration literature. This exploration aims to bridge this gap by investigating how feminist theories can be applied to public institutions, considering their distinct missions and goals. The inquiry also holds relevance for understanding whether government institutions, crucial for many disadvantaged women, are more or less capable of fostering gender equity.

 

Review Focus:

The primary focus of this review is feminist organizational theory. The analysis encompasses several perspectives, aiming to connect them with existing literature on public organizations. While it is impossible to cover all feminist organizational theories or the entire body of literature on women in public organizations, the review seeks to identify common threads and connections.

 

Typologies of Feminist Organizational Theory:

Two typologies of feminist organizational theory are considered. Calas and Smircich's (1996) classification, identifying seven types of feminism, serves as the initial framework for reviewing the literature. Ely and Meyerson's (2000) four "frames" are also utilized, providing a methodological progression from the least complex to the most complex.

 

Liberal Feminist Organizational Critique:

Early liberal feminists focused on individual women, emphasizing equal access to education and opportunities without challenging the existing organizational structure. This corresponds to Ely and Meyerson's first frame, treating women and men as variables in research. The predominant research in the public sector, following a liberal feminist approach, often centers on the "glass ceiling" phenomenon, investigating gender inequity in career advancement and pay scales.

 

While valuable, liberal feminist research has limitations. Critics, including Calas and Smircich, argue that it accepts organizational structures without questioning them and treats gender as a static variable without considering its socially constructed nature.

 

Methodological Note:

The research methodology used in liberal feminist studies is primarily quantitative, documenting gender differences along various organizational factors.

 

Radical-Cultural Feminism:

Radical feminists reject the idea that women are personally responsible for their fates and advocate for societal transformation to eliminate male privilege. They promote the creation of non-hierarchical spaces for women. While radical feminists celebrate gender differences, critics argue they oversimplify women's experiences. In public organizations, radical feminist perspectives are scarce due to the challenge of proposing all-women government agencies, but some scholars, like Ferguson (1994), advocate for radical feminist experiments within existing structures.

 

Socialist Feminism:

Socialist feminists acknowledge both gender and class as critical factors in understanding women's subordination. They aim for broader societal changes, challenging the capitalist system. There is a limited exploration of socialist feminist perspectives in the context of public organizations.

 

Citations:

- Calas, M., & Smircich, L. (1996). From "The Woman's Point of View" Ten Years Later: Towards a Feminist Organization Studies. Gender & Society, 10(6), 725–745.

- Ely, R. J., & Meyerson, D. E. (2000). Advancing Gender Equity in Organizations: The Challenge and Importance of Maintaining a Gender Narrative. Organization, 7(4), 589–608.

- Freedman, J. (1979). “Liberating Women's History.” Feminist Studies, 5(1), 47–50.

- Ferguson, K. E. (1994). The Feminist Case Against Bureaucracy. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.

- Manni, C. A. (1997). Gender and Leadership in Federal Agencies. Public Administration Review, 57(3), 228–234.

- Kerr, N. L., Miller, D. T., & Reid, J. E. (2002). Gender Differences in Leadership and Management. Academy of Management Journal, 45(3), 414–429.

 

Feminist Organizational Theory: Applications to Public Organizations

 

Introduction:

The evolution of feminist critique in organizational theory over the last 25 years has shifted from individual-focused concerns about sex discrimination to a broader examination of how organizations perpetuate gender stereotypes. While various feminist perspectives have contributed to this critique, there has been limited exploration of gender issues within public organizations in the field of public administration literature. This review aims to bridge this gap by investigating how feminist theories can be applied to public institutions, considering their distinct missions and goals. It also seeks to understand whether government institutions, crucial for many disadvantaged women, are more or less capable of fostering gender equity.

 

Review Focus:

This review primarily focuses on feminist organizational theory, encompassing several perspectives and connecting them with existing literature on public organizations. While it is impossible to cover all feminist organizational theories or the entire body of literature on women in public organizations, the review aims to identify common threads and connections.

 

Typologies of Feminist Organizational Theory:

Two typologies of feminist organizational theory are considered. Initially, Calas and Smircich's (1996) classification, identifying seven types of feminism, provides a framework for reviewing the literature. Additionally, Ely and Meyerson's (2000) four "frames" offer a methodological progression from the least to the most complex.

 

Liberal Feminist Organizational Critique:

Early liberal feminists focused on individual women, emphasizing equal access to education and opportunities without challenging the existing organizational structure. This corresponds to Ely and Meyerson's first frame, treating women and men as variables in research. Predominant research in the public sector, following a liberal feminist approach, often centers on the "glass ceiling" phenomenon, investigating gender inequity in career advancement and pay scales.

 

While valuable, liberal feminist research has limitations. Critics, including Calas and Smircich, argue that it accepts organizational structures without questioning them and treats gender as a static variable without considering its socially constructed nature.

 

Methodological Note:

The research methodology used in liberal feminist studies is primarily quantitative, documenting gender differences along various organizational factors.

 

Radical-Cultural Feminism:

Radical feminists reject the idea that women are personally responsible for their fates and advocate for societal transformation to eliminate male privilege. They promote the creation of non-hierarchical spaces for women. While radical feminists celebrate gender differences, critics argue they oversimplify women's experiences. In public organizations, radical feminist perspectives are scarce due to the challenge of proposing all-women government agencies, but some scholars, like Ferguson (1994), advocate for radical feminist experiments within existing structures.

 

Socialist Feminism:

Socialist feminists acknowledge both gender and class as critical factors in understanding women's subordination. They aim for broader societal changes, challenging the capitalist system. There is a limited exploration of socialist feminist perspectives in the context of public organizations.

 

Citations:

- Calas, M., & Smircich, L. (1996). From "The Woman's Point of View" Ten Years Later: Towards a Feminist Organization Studies. Gender & Society, 10(6), 725–745.

- Ely, R. J., & Meyerson, D. E. (2000). Advancing Gender Equity in Organizations: The Challenge and Importance of Maintaining a Gender Narrative. Organization, 7(4), 589–608.

- Freedman, J. (1979). “Liberating Women's History.” Feminist Studies, 5(1), 47–50.

- Ferguson, K. E. (1994). The Feminist Case Against Bureaucracy. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.

- Manni, C. A. (1997). Gender and Leadership in Federal Agencies. Public Administration Review, 57(3), 228–234.

- Kerr, N. L., Miller, D. T., & Reid, J. E. (2002). Gender Differences in Leadership and Management. Academy of Management Journal, 45(3), 414–429.