Masculinity and its effect on male managers in the banking industry

Abstract

Men have traditionally dominated the managerial world of organisations. This is slowly changing as more women enter similar career paths that have been previously unavailable to them for numerous reasons. However, in a number of more traditional industries men are still predominantly found in the managerial ranks. The banking industry in New Zealand is a prime example of one such industry. It wasn't so long ago that certain banks within the industry implemented equal opportunity policies for their workplaces. (NZ Bankers Association, 1992) With the male managers in the banking industry still outnumbering females, I assumed that there would be quite a dominant male culture in the management levels. My assumption led me to question if being a male would have much of an effect on the behaviour of a male manager. I began searching the relevant literature and found many works on masculinity but almost nothing on male bank managers. This made me realise that this was a relatively new, undiscovered area in management research, hence my research title, which is "Masculinity and its Effect on Male Managers in the Banking Industry".

My aims for this dissertation are to examine masculinity and how it affects the way men manage in organisations. By masculinity, I am referring to what it means to be a male in today's society. This will be looked at with reference to social construction and the various ways men define themselves; such as their values, frame of reference, etc. I am looking specifically at the banking industry because it has been traditionally male dominated at managerial levels and therefore, any effects of masculinity on male managers will be more likely to be evident here. A sample size of 16 male managers will be drawn from the Dunedin banking industry. This will come from an organisation pool of five of the main New Zealand retail banks.' My data collection follows a qualitative research format and consists of face-to-face interviews, approximately one hour in length, with each participant. The interview is semi-structured and based on a number of predetermined questions that are used to stimulate discussion. The interview follows an informal conversation format. My aim is to encourage the participants to discuss at will their experiences as a male and as a male manager. The questions will be covering five broad areas. The first three relate more specifically to their experiences as a male and include personal goals and challenges, experiences outside of work and their perceptions of men and women in society. The last two questions are relevant to their managerial perspective and involve questions about their experience as a manager and then about the banking industry in general. The general purpose of this study is to fill a literature gap in management research and to create a broader understanding of male managers and how masculinity affects their work behaviour in organisations. This is increasingly important with more women in the workplace and managerial positions. The literature demonstrates a lack in studies of masculinity and its impact on male managers. In addition, the little research that has been published, is largely written by men. As a female researcher I believe that I can offer a fresh, new perspective on this topic. I also recognise that many may see that being a female is in itself a limitation in my role as a researcher in this study. I counter that claim, firstly by recognising it and secondly, by using it to my advantage by being able to look at masculinity and its effect on male managers from an outsider's perspective. I will be able to analyse and observe behaviour and values that may not be evident to male researchers, simply because they are men. My storytelling methodology also ensures that I act as a voice on behalf of these men to tell their stories and how they see the world. This research will make a worthwhile contribution to research on masculinity, male managers and the banking industry in New Zealand. It will also be useful for policy makers, women and those interested specifically in New Zealand research. This is because the participants are all New Zealand males and therefore, it provides an interesting cultural examination.