Women in Middle Management : in Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom

Abstract: Background and Problem: Stereotyping of genders and leaders has been around for ages and it is very hard to change people’s perceptions and beliefs. Even though the way society perceives men and women has changed the last century, most people still prefer men as leaders. The historical background often makes it hard for today’s women to be taken seriously in a management position. Nonetheless, the negative attitude some people hold against women in leadership is slowly fading away due to the increasing acceptance of women in management positions. Purpose: The purpose of the thesis is to investigate how women in Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom perceive their situation as female leaders in middle management. Frame of Reference: Women’s historical background in Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom is discussed to give the reader a more throughout understanding of the women’s situation today. The frame of reference also talks about stereotypes within gender and leadership as well as obstacles held towards women in leadership. Empirical findings: Three women from each country investigated are being interviewed regarding how they perceive their situation as middle managers. Analysis and final discussion: The empirical findings showed that women are still facing a lot of obstacles when it comes to being middle managers. The obstacles they face are stereotypes, Glass Ceilings and organisational structure. Some of the obstacles are universal, while others are specific for each country.