Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
##common.pageHeaderLogo.altText##

Articles

Vol. 41 No. 1 (2022): Advancing Women in Leadership Journal

What's Power Got to Do with It? Seeking Gender-Equity in Organizations through Male Ally Initiatives

DOI
https://doi.org/10.21423/awlj-v41.a346
Submitted
October 21, 2018
Published
2022-05-03

Abstract

With the persistence of women's limited advancement into senior leadership, organizations have employed an arsenal of diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies such as implicit bias training, intentional mentoring, and efforts to authentically support work-life policies.  Male allyship has emerged as a recent strategy aimed at gender equity.  The asymmetric power between advantaged and disadvantages groups is central to the concept of allyship in studies across disciplines, such as sociology, social justice and economics. Management scholars have identified power, specifically the requisite sharing of or fear of diminishment of, as a barrier to men participating in gender equity initiatives to advance women.  To examine how organizations might address the power inherent in the male ally role, we employ the Bolman and Deal Four Frames Organizational Model.  We propose that while male ally programs reside in the Human Resources Frame, the success of that strategy depends on managing the Political Frame.  In promoting gender equity, organizations are seeking to distribute power more broadly to enable both men and women to fully contribute. By considering organizational politics, the competition for scarce resources, power and influence, we argue that practitioners will benefit from a realistic assessment of the role that power plays in both hindering and advancing male ally endeavors.   We draw on the literature, survey data, and ongoing work with men and women engaged in male ally initiatives, and use the Bolman and Deal model to make recommendations for practitioners, male allies, and women in using power while building gender-equitable organizations.

References

  1. AAUW (2016). Barriers and Bias: The Status of Women in Leadership. Retrieved from
  2. https://www.aauw.org/aauw_check/pdf_download/show_pdf.php?file=barriers-and-bias
  3. Alcoff, L. (2006). Visible identities. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  4. Allen, S.M., & Hawkins, A.J. (1999). Maternal gatekeeping: Mothers' beliefs and behaviors that
  5. inhibit greater father involvement in family work. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 61, 199-212.
  6. Almassi, B. (2015). Feminist reclamations of normative masculinity: On democratic manhood,
  7. feminist masculinity, and allyship practices. Feminist Philosophy Quarterly 1(2). doi:10.5206/fpq/2015.2.2
  8. Anderson, Pamela Sue. 2009. "Feminism and Patriarchy." In A. Hass, D. Jasper, and E. Jay
  9. (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of English literature and theology (pp.810-828). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  10. Anicha, C.L., Burnett, A., & Bilen-Green, C. (2015). Men faculty gender-equity advocates: A
  11. qualitative analyses of theory and praxis. Journal of Men's Studies, 23(1), 21-43.
  12. Ang, I. (2013). "I am feminist but"¦: 'Other' women and postnational feminism". In R. Lewis &
  13. S. Mills (Eds.). Feminist postcolonial theory: A reader (pp.190-206). New York & London: Routledge.
  14. Becker, M. (1999). Patriarchy and inequality: Towards a substantive feminism. University of
  15. Chicago Legal Forum, Article 3. Retrieved from http://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/uclf/vol1999/iss1/3
  16. Bennett, J. (2006). History matters: Patriarchy and the challenge of feminism. Philadelphia:
  17. University of Pennsylvania Press.
  18. Bierstedt, R. (1970). An analysis of social power. In M. E. Olsen (Ed.), Power is societies
  19. (pp.11-18). London: Collier-Macmillan.
  20. Bishop, A. (2002). Becoming an ally: Breaking the cycle of oppression. London: Zed Books.
  21. Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership.
  22. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
  23. Brown, K.T., & Ostrove, J.M. (2013). What does it mean to be an ally? The perspective of
  24. people of color. Journal of Applied Social Psychology 43, 2211-2222.
  25. Bulkin, E., Pratt, M.B. & Smith, B. (1984). Yours in struggle. New York: Long Haul Press.
  26. Burke, E., Pratt, M.B., & Smith, B. (2014). Individual, organizational, and societal backlash
  27. against women. In R. J. Burke & D.A. Major (Eds.), Gender in organizations: Are men allies or adversaries to women's career advancement? (pp. 335-362). Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing.
  28. Caraway, N. (1991). Segregated sisterhood: Racism and the politics of American feminism.
  29. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press.
  30. Casciaro, T., & Lobo, M.S. (2005). Affective microfoundations of instrumental ties in
  31. organizations. Harvard Business Review, 83, 93-100.
  32. Casey, E. (2010). Strategies for engaging men as anti-violence allies: Implications for ally
  33. movements. Advances in Social Work, 11(2): 267-282.
  34. Casey, E. A., Carlson, J., Fraguela-Rios, C., Kimball, E., Neugut, T. B., Tolman, R. M. &
  35. Edleson, J. L. (2013). Context, challenges, and tensions in global efforts to engage men in the prevention of violence against women. Men and Masculinities, 16(2), 228-251.
  36. Catalyst. (2009). Engaging Men in Gender Initiatives: What Change Agents Need to Know.
  37. Retrieved from: https://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/engaging-men-gender-initiatives
  38. Catalyst. (2017, August 11). Quick Take: Statistical Overview of Women in the Workplace).
  39. Retrieved from https://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/statistical-overview-women-workforce
  40. Cervero, R.M. & Wilson, A.L. (1994). Planning responsibly for adult education: A guide to
  41. negotiating power and interests. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
  42. Chappell, D. (1996). Inside agitators: White southerners in the civil rights movement. Maryland:
  43. Johns Hopkins University.
  44. Collins, P. H., & Bilge, S. (2016). Intersectionality. Polity Press: Malden, MA.
  45. Connell, R.W. (1987). Gender and power: Society, the person and sexual politics. Palo Alto,
  46. CA: University of California Press.
  47. Connell, R. W. (2005). Change among the gatekeepers: Men, masculinities, and gender equality
  48. in the global arena." Signs 30(3), 1801-1825.
  49. Crenshaw, K. (1997). Intersectionality and identity politics: Learning from violence against
  50. women of color. In M. L. Shanley & U. Narayan (Eds.), Reconstructing Political Theory: Feminist Perspectives (178""193). Pennsylvania State University Press.
  51. Curtis, M., Schmid, C. & Struber, M. (2012). Gender Diversity and Corporate Leadership,
  52. Zurich: Switzerland.
  53. Diekman, A. B., Brown, E.R., Johnston, A.M., & Clark, E.K. (2010). Seeking congruity between
  54. goals and roles: A new look at why women opt out of science, technology, engineering, and mathematical careers. Psychological Science, 21(8),1051-1057.
  55. Digby, T. (Ed.). (1998). Men doing feminism. New York and London: Routledge.
  56. Droogendyk, L., Wright, S.C., Lubensky, M.& Louis, W.R. (2016). Acting in solidarity: cross-
  57. group contact between disadvantaged group members and advantaged group allies. Journal of Social Issues, 72(2), 315-334. doi:10.1111/josi.12168
  58. Drury, B.J. & Kaiser, C.R. (2014). Allies against sexism: The role of men in confronting
  59. sexism. Journal of Social Issues, 70(4), 2014, pp. 637""652.
  60. Dubow, W., & Ashcraft, C. (2016). Male allies: Motivations and barriers for participating in
  61. diversity initiatives in the technology workplace.
  62. International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology, 8 (2), 160-180.
  63. Eagly, A. H. (2013). Women as leaders: Leadership style versus leaders' values and attitudes.
  64. In R. J. Ely & A.J.C. Cuddy (Eds.), Gender and work: Challenging conventional wisdom (pp. 4-11). Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
  65. Etzioni, A. (1970). Power as a societal force. In M.E. Olsen (Ed.), Power in societies (pp.18-27).
  66. London: Collier-Macmillan.
  67. Fletcher, J.K. (1999). Disappearing Acts: Gender, power, and relational practice at work. MIT.
  68. Fletcher, J. (2004). The paradox of post heroic leadership: An essay on gender, power and
  69. transformational change. The Leadership Quarterly, 15(5), 647 - 662.
  70. Flood, M. (2011). Involving men in efforts to end violence against women. Men and
  71. Masculinities, 14(3), 358-77.
  72. Flood, M. & Pease, B. (2005). Undoing men's privilege and advancing gender equality in public
  73. sector institutions." Policy and Society, 24(4), 119-138.
  74. Fruehauf, J., Al-Khalifa, F. & Coniker, J. (2015). Using Bolman and Deal's four frames in developing governance strategy. Issues in Information Systems, 16, 161-167.
  75. Garcia, A. (1997). Voices of women of color: Redefining women's studies. Race, Gender, and
  76. Class, 4, 11-28.
  77. Gaunt, R. (2007). Maternal gatekeeping: Antecedents and consequences. Journal of Family Issues, 29(3), 373-395
  78. Guinier, L. (1998). Lessons and Challenges of Becoming Gentlemen. New York University
  79. Review of Law and Social Change, 26 (1), 1-16.
  80. Heilman, M. E. (2012). Gender stereotypes and workplace bias. Research in Organizational Behavior, 32, 113-135.
  81. Hoobler, J.M., Lemmon, G., & Wayne, S.J. (2011). Women's underrepresentation in upper
  82. management: New insights on a persistent problem. Organizational Dynamics, 40, 151-6.
  83. hooks, B. (1981). Ain't I a woman: Black women and feminism. Boston, Massachusetts: South End Press.
  84. Jardine, A. & Smith, P. (1987). Men in feminism. New York: Routledge.
  85. Kanter, R.M. (1977). Men and Women of the Corporation. New York: Basic Books.
  86. Kark, R. (2018). Are we all in this together? challenges of men promoting gender balance.
  87. Center for Gender in Organizations Working Paper No. 23. Retrieved from http://www.simmons.edu/academics/research/cgo/publications.
  88. Karkara, R., Karlsson, L. and Malik, B. (2005). Working with men and boys to promote gender
  89. equality and to end violence against boys and girls. Retrieved from
  90. http://www.siyanda.org/docs/SCS_Regional_Workshop_Report_March_2004_Long2.pdf
  91. Kaufman, M. (2004). Transforming our initiatives for gender equality by addressing and
  92. involving men and boys: a framework for analysis and action. In S. Ruxton (Ed.), Gender Equality and Men:Learning from Practice (pp. 19-27). London: Oxfam GB. Retrieved from http://menengage.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Gender_equality_and_men.pdf
  93. Kimmel, M. & Mosmiller, T. (1992). Against the tide: "Pro-feminist men" in the United States:
  94. - 1990, a documentary history. New York: Beacon Press.
  95. Kimmel, M. (2018, January 30). Getting men to speak up. Retrieved from:
  96. https://hbr.org/2018/01/getting-men-to-speak-up
  97. Kossek, E.E., Su, R., & Wu, L. (2017). "˜Opting out' or "˜pushed out'? Integrating perspectives
  98. on women's career equality for gender inclusion and interventions. Journal of Management, 73(1), 228-254.
  99. Lerner, G. (1986). The creation of patriarchy. New York & Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  100. Macomber, K. (2014, October 20). Integrating Men As Allies In Anti-Violence Work:
  101. Accountability And Beyond. Retrieved from http://xyonline.net/content/integrating-men-allies-anti-violence-work-accountability-and-beyond
  102. Major, D.A., Morganson, V. J., & Bolen, H.M. (2013). Predictors of occupational and
  103. organizational commitment in information technology: Exploring gender differences and similarities. Journal of Business and Psychology, 28, 301-314.
  104. McGowan, E., Elliott, N., & Stokes, E. (2018). Leadership capabilities of physiotherapy leaders in Ireland: Part 2. Clinical specialists and advanced physiotherapy practitioners. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 7, 1-17. doi:10.1080/09593985.2018.1469179
  105. Mergaert, L. & Lombardo, E. (2014). Resistance to implementing gender mainstreaming in EU
  106. research policy. In Weiner, E. & MacRae, H. (Eds.), European Integration Online Papers (EIoP) (pp. 1-21). Retrieved from http://eiop.or.at/eiop/texte/2014-005a.htm
  107. Messner, M. A., Greenberg, M.A. & Peretz, T. (2015). Some men: Feminist allies and the
  108. movement to end violence against women. Oxford & New York: Oxford University Press.
  109. Metz, I. (June 6, 2016). Male Champions of Gender Equity Change. Retrieved from
  110. https://mbs.edu/getmedia/48007aa7-4bae-454d-91a9-e1fb4df7b8dc/Male-Champions-of-Gender-Equity-Change-Report-double-page.pdf
  111. Miller, C. L. & Cummins, A. G. (1992). An examination of women's perspectives on power.
  112. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 16, 415-428.
  113. Mohanty, C.T. (2003). Feminism without border: Decolonizing theory, practicing solidarity.
  114. Durham & London: Duke University Press.
  115. Moor, A., Cohen, A., & Beeri, O. (2015). In quest of excellence not power: Women's paths to
  116. positions of influence and leadership. Advancing Women in Leadership, 35, 1-11
  117. Murrell, A. & Blake-Beard, S. (Eds.). (2017). Mentoring diverse leaders: Creating change for
  118. people, processes, and paradigms. New York: Routledge.
  119. Myers, D. (2008). Ally identity: The politically gay man. In J. Reger, D. Myers,. & R.
  120. Weinwohner (Eds.), Identity work in social movements (pp.167-188). Minneapolis & London: University of Minnesota Press.
  121. O'Neill, R., Shapiro, M., Ingols, C., & Blake-Beard, S. (2013). Understanding women's career
  122. goals across ethnic identities. Advancing Women in Leadership, 33, 196-214.
  124. Pease, B. (ND). Men as Allies in Preventing Violence Against Women: Principles and Practices
  125. for Promoting Accountability. Retrieved from https://www.stonybrook.edu/ commcms/csmm/pdf/Men%20as%20Allies%20White%20Paper.pdf
  126. Pfeffer, J. (1992). Managing with power: Politics and influence in organizations. Boston:
  127. Harvard Business School Press.
  128. Prime, J. & Moss-Racusin, C.A. (2009). Engaging men in gender initiatives: what change agents
  129. need to know. Retrieved from https://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/engaging-men-gender-initiatives-what-change-agents-need-know
  130. Ravarino, J. (2013). Being a social justice ally: A feminist's Perspective on Preventing male
  131. violence. In S. Tarrant (Ed.), Men speak out: Views on gender, sex, and power (pp. 156-164). New York: Routledge.
  132. Rudman, L.A., Mescher, K., & Moss-Racusin, C.A. (2012). Reactions to gender egalitarian
  133. men: Received feminization due to stigma-by-association. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 16 (5), 572-599.
  134. Roth, P., Purvis, K., & Bobko, P. (2012). A Meta-Analysis of Gender Group Differences for Measures of Job Performance in Field Studies. Journal of Management, 38(2), 719-739.
  135. Russell, G. & Bohan, J.S. (2016). Institutional allyship for LGBT equality: Underlying processes
  136. and potentials for change. Journal of Social Issues, 72 (2), 335-354.
  137. Sandburg, S. (2013). Lean in: Women, work, and the will to lead. New York: Random House.
  138. Sawyer, K. & Valerio, A.M. (2018). Making the case for male champions for gender
  139. inclusiveness at work. Organizational Dynamics, 47, 1-7.
  140. Sawyer, K. & Valerio, A.M. (2016, December 7). The men who mentor women. Harvard
  141. Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2016/12/the-men-who-mentor-women
  142. Schmitt, R. (1998). Profeminist men and their friends. In T. Digby (Ed.). Men doing feminism
  143. (pp. 81-98). New York: Routledge.
  144. Scott. E.K. (1998). Creating partnerships for change: Alliances and betrayals in the racial politics
  145. of two feminist organizations. Gender and Society, 12, 400-423.
  146. Smith, B. (1983). Home girls: A black feminist anthology. New York: Kitchen Table Women of
  147. Color Press.
  148. Springer, K. (2005). Living for the revolution: Black feminist organizations, 1968-1980.
  149. Durham: Duke University Press.
  150. Su, R., & Rounds, J. (2015). All STEM fields are not created equal: People and things interests
  151. explain gender disparities across STEM fields. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 1-20.
  152. Trefalt, S., Merrill-Sands, D., Kolb, D., & Wilson, F. (2011). Closing the women's leadership
  153. gap: Who can help?. CGO Insight, 32. Retrieved from http://www.simmons.edu/
  154. ~/media/Simmons/About/CGO/Documents/INsights/Insights-32.ashx?la=en
  155. Valley, K.L. & Long-Lingo, E. (2002). Power and influence: Achieving your objectives in
  156. organizations. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
  157. Wanberg, C.R., Welsch, E.T., & Hezlett, S.A. (2003). Mentoring research: A review and
  158. dynamic process model. Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, 22, 39-124.
  159. Washington, J. and Evans, N.J. (1991). Becoming an ally. In N.J. Evans & V.A. Wall (Eds.),
  160. Beyond tolerance: Gays, lesbians and bisexuals on campus (pp.194-204). Alexandria, VA: American College Personnel Association.
  161. Woetzel, J., Madgavkar, A., Ellingrud, K., Labaye, E., Devillard, S., Kutcher, E., Manyika,J.
  162. Dobbs, R. & Krishnan, M. (2015). How Advancing Women's Equality Can Add $12 Trillion to Global Growth. Retrieved from http://www.mckinsey.com/global-themes/employment-and-growth/howadvancing-womens-equality-can-add-12-trillion-to-global-growth
  163. Wood, W., & Eagly, A. H. (2009). Gender identity. In M. Leary & R. Hoyle (Eds.), Handbook
  164. of individual differences in social behavior (pp. 109-125). New York: Guilford Press.
  165. Zimmerman, D.D. (2015). Young Arab Muslim women's agency challenging western
  166. feminism. Journal of Women and Social Work, 30(2), 145-157.