Research

Conducting and disseminating research on women and leadership is part of the guiding vision of the SOM. Each year members of our faculty - representing a variety of disciplines - publish important new findings on women and leadership. A sample of recent research includes:

2005 SOM/HP Leadership Survey Results on Negotiating Conditions for Leadership Success

Deborah Kolb and Jill Kickul and the Simmons School of Management partnered with Hewlett-Packard to survey 470 professional women at the April 2005 Simmons School of Management Leadership Conference. Contrary to popular belief—that women fail to seize leadership opportunities or position themselves to succeed as leaders—the women in this study were savvy about what they needed to succeed and then asked for these things. The findings revealed that not only did the surveyed women embrace leadership; many sought challenging jobs and negotiated over the conditions that they believed were critical to success in those jobs. Additionally, those who negotiated were more likely than those who did not to have higher performance ratings, to be offered leadership development opportunities, to be more satisfied with their jobs and with their organizations, and to anticipate that they would be offered additional leadership roles within the next year. The learnings from women in senior leadership roles and women with more leadership experience suggest that any time a woman considers a leadership role at any level, negotiations should be part of her thinking. The authors also offer several recommendations for people who are transitioning into new leadership roles.

  • For the 2005 complete survey results,  click here .
  • For 2004 survey results on women and power, click here.
  • For 2003 survey results on generational differences of working women, click here.

Women in Corporate Latin America

In April 2005, Dr. Sylvia Maxfield published a monograph entitled "Women on the Verge: Corporate Power in Latin America." Based on surveys of 75 firms and more than 100 interviews with senior business women in the region, the report documents women's presence in the Latin American business world; investigates differences across sectors, functions, and generations; and conveys views of obstacles and opportunities for advancement. Together, the quantitative and qualitative data from which she draws her conclusions constitutes the first and only regionally comprehensive report on women's roles in corporate Latin America. The monograph expands upon research undertaken as part of CGO's project Women Business Leaders in Latin America, led by Dr. Maxfield.

Click here to read the monograph in English.
Para leer la monografía en Español, hacer click aquí.

SOM and Bright Horizons Collaborate on Emerging Workforce Study

Simmons SOM collaborated with Bright Horizons Family Solutions, the world’s leading provider of employer-sponsored child care, early education, and worklife solutions, in a study to examine the emerging workforce through the lens of gender, race/ethnicity, age, and immigrant and family status. It also explores the values, experiences, and needs related to worklife commitments and expectations of employers. Professor Fiona Wilson is one of the lead researchers, and faculty from the Center for Gender in Organizations helped design the study.-> Read the full report here.

The Leadership Quarterly

Professor Joyce Fletcher published the article "The paradox of postheroic leadership: An essay on gender, power and transformational change" in the Leadership Quarterly. The article explores paradoxes embedded in new - or postheroic - models of leadership.

Teen Girls and Business: Are They Being Empowered?

Simmons School of Management and The Committee of 200 (C200) collaborated on a major research study on girls' perceptions of business. The Teen Girls on Business study provides a rich understanding of how middle and high school girls view business as a career and life opportunity. We examined the key factors affecting girls' attitudes to their careers and their perceptions of business, and how these attitudes and perceptions differ from those of boys as well as across girls of diverse racial/ethnic groups. We also identified key sources of influence -- media, family, and education -- affecting teen girls in their career aspirations. -> Read the full report here

 

 

 

 

Dean Merrill-Sands featured in Chicago Tribune article on women leaders
In the article, "Mapping Your Route to The Top Jobs," Dean Merrill-Sands encouraged women to communicate their value to organizations. Merrill-Sands noted that the "expanse between middle management and the upper echelon marks the 'next frontier' for women in business.
Read the article.