Does gender specific decision making exist?

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore management decisions during the ongoing financial crisis from a gender perspective. Design/methodology/approach – An empirical analysis was conducted using a sample of 132 personal surveys involving managers of independent small travel agencies. Findings were extracted using a logistic regression analysis. Findings – This paper finds some significant gender differences in strategic management decisions in crisis times and in strategic choices. Nevertheless, no differences were found in organizational performance. Research limitations/implications – The research covers travel agencies in Madrid, Spain. Thus, findings might be restricted to this specific sector or geographic area. Practical implications – The findings provide useful empirical evidence for leadership development and strategic management that will enhance leadership effectiveness from a gender viewpoint and facilitate advances in women business management theory. Originality/value – This paper compares strategic managerial decisions in crisis times from a gender viewpoint and analyzes their impact on performance. According to our knowledge no study has currently been found that analyzes decision making in companies led by women and contrasts their actions to those taken by men faced with an identical situation.