Project R-2122

Developing an innovative gender policy for the management of the Flemish government administration. (Research)

This research is aimed at augmenting women's presence in middle management of the Flemish government administration. The goals are twofold: on the one hand we will identify and explain the specific issues women and men willing to work in the middle management are confronted with ; on the second hand we will describe innovative HRM instruments that can be applied in the Flemish government administration to attract more candidates for a middle management position. Methods that will be used include 1) a review of scientific literature to identify the existing mechanisms causing the underrepresentation of women in (middle) management and useful and successful HRM instruments to eliminate this underrepresentation; 2) an empirical study, including a survey among employees of the Flemish government administration formally in the conditions to apply for a middle management position, in order to identify the barriers they are confronted with; in depth interviews with female middle managers to explain gender specific problems; and in depth interviews with selection committee members to explore gaps in the selection process. Both parts of the literature review and the results of the empirical research will be used to formulate recommendations that can mitigate the underrepresentation of women and improve the attractiveness of a middle management position.

01 January 2010 - 31 May 2010