Women leaders in a globalized world

Patricia Werhane

pp. 229-244

in: David Bevan, Regina W. Wolfe (eds), Systems thinking and moral imagination, Berlin, Springer, 2019

Abstract

Werhane focusses on reconsideration of gender character stereotypes and, in particular, on women in management and leadership, and how women deal resourcefully with the complexity of a systems approach. She tackles an analysis of women leaders, an approach that may be considered somewhat controversial in light of her neglect of gender characteristics in earlier writings. Here Werhane argues that women in executive or managerial positions are more likely to be flexible. Women in such roles are usually inclined to be collaborative rather than directive and are better at understanding the complex relationships that develop, particularly in a global economy. Women are less fearful to hire their successors, and as transformational leaders, women are often better than their male counterparts in systems thinking.Original publication: Werhane, Patricia H. "Women Leaders in a Globalized World." Journal of Business Ethics 74 (2007): 425–435. ©2007 Reprinted with permission.