AMBA's Ambition magazine: Issue 60, February 2023

Smaller learning teams make it easier for women to forge supportive social relationships where they might otherwise feel intimidated

MBA to continue to help develop the career capital of women? Here are some key takeaways for management educators and those involved in the design and delivery of MBA programmes. Make programmes more appealing to female applicants From my experience of working with MBA cohorts, it’s clear there is still not an equal gender split on the programme – an issue that is common across the world. Scholarships are an excellent way to address this imbalance. For example, Henley’s annual Women in Leadership competition awards a full-time scholarship for its executive MBA programme. This promotes the programme to women who may not otherwise consider it, emphasising to potential applicants the advantages the programme offers for career capital development and career advancement. However, such schemes are only likely to attract talented female applicants if they feel they can relate to the curriculum and programme content. Across the UK, for example, 2021 research led by the University of Stirling’s Linda Perriton has shown that there remains a low level of gender-specific content on the advertised curriculum for postgraduate management. Although gender-related content is more likely to be offered in optional modules, there is a long way to go before this content is seen as mainstream. This remains an area where MBA programmes across the sector have a long way to go. Recognise the importance of learning groups In my experience, it is important for business schools to invest time in the creation and management of MBA learning groups. Women are likely to find it easier to develop close, supportive relationships in smaller working groups. As touched on previously, these are vital to developing the ‘knowing whom’ aspect of career capital. In recent research, when it comes to minority groups – which women are on MBA programmes – small learning teams have been identified as an important enabler. In learning groups of, typically, five to seven people, minority groups are able to share more freely, be listened to and are less likely to be dominated by any pre-existing culture. Diverse and well-managed small groups are therefore vital in helping women overcome the potential barriers caused by the prevailing masculine culture of MBA programmes. Business and management educators need to be trained facilitators to support group dynamics and enable team reviews, which are important elements for the development and maintenance of these relationships.

Improving women’s career purpose For women, the MBA made the most significant impact on the ‘knowing why’ aspect – their purpose, confidence, self‑efficacy and identity. Women rather than men are more likely to feel a sense of transformation as a result of the MBA, most notably in relation to confidence and self-belief. This aligns with previous studies which suggest that this improvement in career purpose might be linked with the development of another element of career capital, in the form of knowing how. As women’s confidence in their skills and abilities grow, they appear to develop an assertiveness, credibility and new work identity. Forging career relationships Women are typically seen to be disadvantaged when it comes to participating in influential and beneficial social networks. We were surprised, therefore, with the results around knowing whom. Female participants reported gains in social capital from the MBA that are equal to those of their male counterparts, suggesting that the MBA provides female students with just as good networking opportunities as it does for men. This is a good news story for the world of business and management education. In common with other business schools, there is an emphasis on small learning teams at Henley, where students work in a more concentrated environment, making it harder for a prevailing culture to dominate. Despite women (at Henley and elsewhere) typically comprising a minority on MBA courses, it seems the environment of smaller learning teams makes it easier for them to forge supportive social relationships where they might otherwise feel intimidated. Our research uses the concept of gender capital to explain how women might use attributes, such as communication and relational skills, to navigate the boundaries of the male environment in MBA programmes. In an appropriate, non‑threatening (small group) environment, women can create strong bonds with other programme members in a way that men typically enjoy in most other work environments. The MBA can therefore serve to put women on a similar footing to their male counterparts and help them overcome barriers to their career advancement. Levelling the playing field further Our study suggests that completing an MBA impacts the development of career capital positively, especially for female learners. So, what can business schools do in their delivery of the

30 | Ambition | FEBRUARY 2023

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