A qualitative study of male and female perceptions in differences in the working and domestic sphere : a comparison of the French and Finnish cultures

Abstract

This thesis presents a comparison between two culturally different countries in terms of gender differences causing inequality in the working and domestic life. France, one of the pioneer countries in terms of fighting for women’s rights, but at the same time strongly paternalistic and chauvinist as a result of its Latin culture, is compared to Finland, considered as an example for gender equality. The research was conducted among private French and Finnish companies, where interviews were conducted of male and female employees holding different positions in the hierarchy. The thesis presents two articles. 1) The first one focuses on the reproduction of a social structure by the organizational structure through gender roles. To do so, the article is based on the social role theory and on the gendered organization theory. The main results of this study show that regardless of a more women-friendly culture, stereotypic gender roles are visible in the domestic and the professional spheres in both countries. 2) The second article describes the degree of readiness an organization has towards women accessing managerial positions. It is examined through male and female managers’ perception of organizational readiness. The paper is based on the organizational readiness for change theory. The main findings indicate that regardless of a more women-friendly culture, women face a strong masculine corporate culture.