Date of Award
1998
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Business Administration
Department
Business
First Advisor
Daniel W. Kemper
Second Advisor
Lisa Boling
Third Advisor
Laura Derigne
Abstract
This thesis will focus on the study of communication between upper and lower management levels in a company and the impact that genders has upon it.
Communication can be divided into two sections: task-orientation and people-orientation. Task-orientation refers to a person's behavior in delineating the relationship between himself/herself and staff members and in endeavoring to establish well-defined patterns of organization, communication, and procedures. People-orientation refers to a person's behavior indicative of friendship, mutual trust, respect, and warmth in the relationship between leader and his/her subordinates.
Over the years research has suggested that women are prone to be more people-oriented while men are prone to be more task-oriented. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the truth that, within a corporate setting; top level managers are more task-oriented than lower level managers are. Specifically, it is hypothesized that women in the top levels of an organization's hierarchy tend to be more task-oriented than women in the lower levels of an organization's hierarchy. Men in the top levels of an organization's hierarchy tend to be more task-oriented than men in the lower levels of an organization's hierarchy. People in the top levels of an organization's hierarchy tend to be more task-oriented than people in the lower levels of an organization's hierarchy.
A census of small and middle size service companies from the midwestern region were surveyed. The total number of subjects who participated in the study was 50. The subjects filled out a questionnaire that was similar to the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire Form XIl that analyzes task and people orientation.
Results of the analysis produced considerable evidence to suggest that the hypothesis is accepted and to conclude that~ within this sample pool, male and female upper level management is more task oriented than lower management levels.
Recommended Citation
Heppermann, Michelle A., "An Empirical Study on the Differences of Task-Orientation Skills and People-Orientation Skills of Upper and Lower Management in an Organization" (1998). Theses. 88.
https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/theses/88
Comments
Copyright 1998, Michelle A. Heppermann.