Title: A gendered analysis of Spanish SMEs' export managers in externalised channels

Authors: Pedro Araújo; Raquel Flórez; José M. Sánchez

Addresses: Department of Finance and Accounting, Universidad de Cádiz, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, c/ Enrique Villegas Vélez, 2, 11002, Cádiz, Spain ' Department of Finance and Accounting, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Ctra. Utrera, km. 1, 41013, Sevilla, Spain ' Department of Business Administration, Universidad de Cádiz, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, c/ Enrique Villegas Vélez, 2, 11002, Cádiz, Spain

Abstract: This study is intended to analyse the situation of female managers in a setting traditionally considered male such as export activities, through examining the position of boundary managers in externalised export channel management where female interpersonal skills could be particularly valuable. This research empirically carries out a gendered analysis of SMEs' Spanish export managers, shedding light about actual barriers that female managers face in this setting and about determinants of export intensity. A quantitative analysis based on an online questionnaire is performed with 193 valid questionnaires (29.42% response rate). Examining human-capital, firm-level, and sociological and cultural attributes, results show that female export managers have less experience than men, are newer in managerial positions and are associated with the service sector; we also observe that export management experience, time in current position and firm export experience have different impacts on export intensity for women than for men. Women need to establish social professional networks and/or mentoring relationships, and export stimulation programs should be sensitive to female differences.

Keywords: glass ceiling; gender roles; export intensity; inter-organisational relationships; SMEs.

DOI: 10.1504/EJIM.2022.126162

European Journal of International Management, 2022 Vol.18 No.4, pp.572 - 602

Received: 25 Mar 2018
Accepted: 06 Dec 2018
Published online: 14 Oct 2022 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article