Women mid-managers in Nevada community colleges: perceptions of organizational culture and its relationship to advancement
Date
2008
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine how perceptions about current and preferred dimensions of organizational culture among women mid-managers in Nevada community colleges could be measured, compared, and evaluated to determine how definitions of organizational culture related to women's advancement within those institutions. Participant perceptions of organizational culture type were measured by Cameron and Quinn's (2006) Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI), and participant advancement history was measured by a researcher-created questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data to determine if there was a relationship between women's perceptions of organizational culture type and their advancement within the community college. The quantitative approach to measuring perceptions of organizational culture and advancement was conducted within a feminist empiricism perspective with a focus on women. Data were analyzed based on number of years at the institutions, promotion history, age range, ethnicity, and mean scores from the OCAI. Results showed there was no significant relationship between perceived culture type and advancement for women overall or for women of color. However, results indicated a significant age difference among women within each perceived dominant culture type. The results of the study also revealed incongruence between how the respondents perceived the current dominant culture of their institution and how they preferred that dominant culture to be. This conclusion resulted from data indicating women at the majority of Nevada's community colleges perceived their daily work environment as a controlling one emphasizing policies and procedures, efficiency, and uniformity. Additionally, the women at all colleges indicated they prefer their workplace culture to be one emphasizing empowerment, commitment, care, collaboration, and trust. This perceived incongruence may be stifling some women's performance and promotion possibilities. This study supports the need for future research on organizational culture, women's leadership, and community colleges. Better understanding the daily workplace environments of women mid-managers may shed light on why they are not advancing into executive leadership positions at the same rate as their male counterparts within higher education.
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Subject
community college
leadership
management
Nevada
organizational culture
women managers
women's studies
community college education
women's studies