It is easy to assume that men and women have the same experiences in business, but this could not be farther from the truth. Recently, Dr. Leslie Ramos Salazar, Dr. Jillian Yarbrough, and Dr. Elaina Cantrell Robinson completed a study of Texas Panhandle women in business. The result was detailed findings that showcased how men and women view their jobs through different lenses, along with numerous issues that affect only women. The trio has appeared on local media, and also made two public presentations of their findings.
It all started last Spring when the women applied for, and were awarded with, an Engler Societal Impact Grant. The trio then set out to conceptualize the study, develop research questions to be answered, formulate a sampling plan, and create interview questions. A guiding precept of the study is that, while women account for a significant number of business entrepreneurs, there is still a gender gap when it comes to income and advancement.
The purpose of the study was to look at a microcosm of the broader female population, specifically those with a sufficiently long lived experience in the Panhandle. The team wanted to probe the memories and experiences of their sample to ascertain the experiences that women in business face in this region, which may be common among women everywhere, or unique to the area. The team sought to understand women’s identities as business leaders, identify their challenges, and specify the social capital resources needed to achieve success.
By design, the study would be qualitative research, conducted primarily via Zoom interviews. Open-ended questions allowed participants to give nuanced, detailed responses, an artifact sorely lacking in typical survey research with fixed response options.
A convenience sample was utilized to reach 30 participants. The sample was diverse, reaching women with as few as five years of experience, to those with more than 40. Salaries averaged nearly $90,000 a year, and more than 80% had at least a bachelor’s degree.
Upon completion of the interviews, which all three conducted one-on-one, the time-consuming process of transcription helped shed light on recurring themes. Coding qualitative responses is much more difficult than fixed-response surveys, which meant that each interview session had to be carefully analyzed.
The results indicated some key traits demonstrated by women in business. A common response was Servant Leader, indicating empathy as well as a desire to go far above and beyond the normal call of duty to deliver customer service as well as positive employee relations.These women saw themselves as trailblazers, yet at the same time were struggling for self-acceptance. They are deeply rooted in their value systems, and assertive.
Limitations of the study include findings that may or may not be generalizable across the entire population of women in business, both regionally and nationally. More work must be done to study possible differences. Still, this research provides a solid foundation upon which future studies can seek to replicate their findings.
The trio appeared not long ago on BuffSpeak, the official podcast of the Engler College of Business. To hear full details of the study’s scope, methodology, and findings, you can listen here.