Masculinity versus Feminity and Impact on Leading Organizational Change

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to draw upon Pettigrew's contextualist approach to organizational change to examine the implications of gender policy on the imbalance between female and male board members in sport organizations. The paper is based on a case study of the General Assembly (GA) of Sports in Norway over more than three decades. The central focus is on the evolution of gender equality as expressed in changes in the relevant statutes of the sport organization, the preparatory work for the changes, the environment in which the changes have occurred, and the process itself with its critical incidents and the behaviour of key actors. The period of study is divided into three according to which approach was mainly used for promoting equality: equal rights (1971-1984), positive action (1984-1994), and gender mainstreaming (1994-2007). The study facilitates an understanding of how change has been achieved. Evolutionary or incremental change has impacted organized sport resulting in a more equal gender balance, with the proportion of women delegates increasing from 8% to 39% in the General Assembly of Sports. Despite this considerable development, a proposal for a 40% quota of women in all sport organizations was turned down by the Executive Board and not put before the General Assembly in 2007. It is suggested that Pettigrew's contextualistic approach helps in seeing the processes of change more clearly, and who are the key-persons and incidents involved in the process.

Introduction

Why should organizations concern themselves with gender diversity? Questions relating to leadership and gender in sport have been a growing concern lately and there has also been increasing debate about the use of quotas to achieve gender equity. Scholars from many countries have reported female under-representation in sport ( [Aitchinson, 2005], [Hall, 1987], [Hall, 2010], [Hartmann-Tews and Combrink, 2005], [Hartmann-Tews and Pfister, 2003], [Hoeber and Frisby, 2001], [McKay, 1997], [Sartore and Cunningham, 2007], [Shaw and Hoeber, 2003], [Shaw, 2006], [Shaw and Slack, 2002], [White and Bracken-ridge, 1985] and [White and Kay, 2006]). Few researchers have examined gender equity policies, but Shaw and Penney (2003) described the development of gender equity policies in three national governing bodies in English sport, and concluded by recommending greater organizational reflexivity and deep structure analysis.

In Scandinavia there has for some time been a strong institutionalisation of gender equity policy (Skjeie, 1997), with women participating to a high degree in the work force (Ellingsæter, 2000) as well as participating in politics on equal terms with men (Raaum, 2009). However, women do not occupy many leadership positions in either work organizations (Kvande, 2009) or sport. The political scientists Karvonen and Selle (1995) have argued that the most important single change in Scandinavian social life since World War II has concerned the political representation of women. In recent years women's under-representation in politics has become an issue all over the world (Dahlerup, 2006). The breakthrough in women's representation in politics in Norway came during the 1970s, when female representation in national government moved from less than 10% to ...