This abstract is summarized by IPR from the original journal article published in Public Relations Review.

Few studies have considered the effect gender has on leadership enactment and success in public relations. This secondary analysis examined the state of women and gender scholarship about public relations leadership as part of a larger study about the state of women in communications. This research discovered that most of the research about leadership and gender focuses on women’s lackluster leadership presence, factors contributing to women’s lack of presence, leadership styles and preferences, and leadership and management roles of women.

Implications for the industry:
This study offers recommendations for improving women’s presence in leadership roles, specifically providing a roadmap for future research opportunities. These include considerations for methodological approaches, leadership approaches and roles research, types of leadership, cultural change, and education.

Key Takeaways:

– Women leaders are underrepresented in public relations practice and receive little attention in scholarship.
– Previous research regarding women and leadership narrowly addresses leadership roles, traits, and preferences.
– Use of diverse research methods and approaches are needed to address gender leadership disparities in public relations.

Location:
This article is available online here (abstract free, purchase full article).

Citation:
Place, K. R., & Vardemian-Winter, J. (2018). Where are the women? An examination of research on women and leadership in public relations. Public Relations Review, 44(1), 165-173. Retrieved July 21, 2020, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0363811117302904

Heidy Modarelli handles Growth & Marketing for IPR. She has previously written for Entrepreneur, TechCrunch, The Next Web, and VentureBeat.
Follow on Twitter