Gender in Business Management: a Communications Perspective

Andrea Henry

Victoria McKenney-Johnson

EBA 618 Gender in Business Management

Gender in Business Management: A Communications Perspective

Dr. Glenna Meyer

December 4, 2009

Gender in Business Management: A Communications Perspective

Types of Communication

Communication Styles

Differences in Communication

Differences between the Sexes

Men and Women are different. We are driven by different needs, desires, and motivations. Communication is influenced by these divergent states. Author John Gray describes this difference in his book, “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. Gray asserts that learning the code of the opposite sex is essential even if individuals do not necessarily conform to the stereotypical behavior and urges the reader to stop expecting the opposite sex to act and feel the way that the reader does. Gray outlines differences in the way men and women approach problems, their work and language styles. To summarize briefly, Gray postulates that:

Generally speaking men prefer to have their abilities recognized and appreciated, not scorned or ignored. For women on the other hand, it is important to have their feelings recognized and appreciated, not scorned or ignored.

Generally men like to work independently and solve problems quickly, while women prefer cooperation and interactive communication with others. Men tend to value solutions and view unsolicited assistance as an unwanted intrusion, while women value assistance and expect that their assistance will be appreciated.

Behavior is different between the sexes as well. Men generally tend to look out for number one, to the point of sacrificing others if necessary, while women tend to look after others, to the point of sacrificing themselves.

In conversation, men speak in literal terms to rely information while women value and use descriptive language to express their views. Studies indicate that women are more sensitive to the interpersonal meanings that lie...