Locating gendered work practices: a typology

Bernard McKenna, Martie-Louise Verreynne and Neal Waddell

International Journal of Manpower, 2016, vol. 37, issue 6, 1085-1107

Abstract: Purpose - Unequal workplace gender outcomes continue to motivate research. Using the prism of work-life-(im)balance, the purpose of this paper is to show how identity salience and motivation contribute to a subject position that for many reproduces socially gendered practices of workplaces. Design/methodology/approach - After initial inductive computer-assisted text analysis, the authors innovatively move to deductively analyse data from focus group and semi-structured interviews of 18 female and 19 male Australian managers in the financial and government sectors. Findings - The authors find that a gendered sense of reflexivity is virtually non-existent among the female Australian managers and professionals interviewed in this research. The inductive stage of critical discourse analysis revealed a substantial difference between men and women in two concepts, responsibility, and choice. These form the axes of the typological model to better explain how non-reflexive gendered workplace practices are “performed”. Practical implications - This empirical research provides a foundation for understanding the role of choice and responsibility in work-home patterns for women. Social implications - The absence of a reflexive gender-based understanding of women’s work-home choice is explained in Bourdieusian terms. Originality/value - By not specifically using a gender lens, the authors have avoided the stereotypical understanding of gendered workplaces.

Keywords: Motivation; Work-life balance; Identity salience; Responsibility; Bourdieu; Agency; Choice; Critical discourse analysis; Gendered practices (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:ijmpps:v:37:y:2016:i:6:p:1085-1107

DOI: 10.1108/IJM-12-2015-0210

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