This work should render assistance to women and men in leadership positions. For women to get to know their qualities and how they could position as an employer. Especially in times of shortage of skilled labour it is getting more important to become an employer of choice for recruiting the necessary employees and for keeping them in the company.
For men this work is the assistance of decision-making, if they are considered for staff leading positions. Obviously, many companies overlook the advantages of women in top-management, female led companies are more successful and seldom become insolvent compared to male led companies. One reason for this is that women are more cautious and they take fewer financial risks than men.
This work also addresses employees who are working in a female led company or who want to change their employer, to show them the advantages and disadvantages of female leaders. There is a need to research the female led employer brand. Currently, there are no studies existing about female led EB and this work only covers a small part of this topic. It examines female led companies in male dominated branches and also only gives a view of the female employer’s opinion.
Women are on the rise. Besides the current debate of female quota in German supervisory boards, where the share of women in management and supervisory boards is about 6.5 % in 2012, the share of leading women in family operated companies is about 20 % in Germany in 2006 and the number is on the increase. This is an important process, because family operated companies are the dominated economic system in Germany.
At this time women lead a quarter of personal services, such as dry-cleaning establishments, hairdressers or private education institutes. In commerce the quota of female leaders is more than 23 % and 13 % of the companies in the manufacturing industry were women operated.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Problem Definition and Relevance of the Topic
1.2 Objectives of Work
1.3 Structure of Work
2 Definition of Terms
2.1 Employer Brand
2.1.1 Corporate Image
2.1.2 Human Resource Policy
2.1.3 Recruiting
2.1.4 Branch Image
2.1.5 Location Image
2.2 Leadership
2.2.1 Female Leadership
2.2.2 Differences between Female and Male Leadership
3 Theoretical Examination of the Influences of Female Leadership on the Employer Brand
3.1 Influences on Corporate Image
3.1.1 Economic Power
3.1.2 Awareness
3.1.3 Corporate Culture
3.2 Influences on Human Resource Policy
3.2.1 Type of Work
3.2.2 Conditions of Employment
3.3 Influences on Recruiting
3.3.1 Recruiting Process
3.3.2 Potential Colleagues
3.4 Interim Conclusion
4 Practical Examination of the Influences of Female Leadership on the Employer Brand
4.1 Overview of Study
4.1.1 Methods and Procedure of Research
4.1.2 Presentation of Interview Guideline
4.2 Best Practice
4.2.1 Influences on Corporate Image
4.2.1.1 Economic Power
4.2.1.2 Awareness
4.2.1.3 Corporate Culture
4.2.2 Influences on Human Resource Policy
4.2.2.1 Type of Work
4.2.2.2 Conditions of Employment
4.2.3 Influences on Recruiting
4.2.3.1 Recruiting Process
4.2.3.2 Potential Colleagues
4.2.4 Comparison Between Theoretical and Best Practice Examination
4.3 Presentation of Interview Findings
4.3.1 Differences between Female and Male Leadership
4.3.2 Perception of the Employer Brand
4.3.3 Influences of Female Leadership on the Employer Brand
4.3.3.1 Corporate Image
4.3.3.1.1 Economic Power
4.3.3.1.2 Awareness
4.3.3.1.3 Corporate Culture
4.3.3.2 Human Resource Policy
4.3.3.2.1 Type of Work
4.3.3.2.2 Conditions of Employment
4.3.3.3 Recruiting
4.3.3.3.1 Recruiting Process
4.3.3.3.2 Potential Colleagues
4.3.4 Recommendations
4.3.4.1 Demonstrative Communication
4.3.4.2 Taking Advantage of Chances
4.3.4.3 Employer Image
4.3.4.4 Women in Leading Positions
5 Management Implication
5.1 Positioning of Female Led Employer Brand
5.1.1 Competence of the Female Led Employer Brand
5.1.2 Benefits and Attributes of the Female Led Employer Brand
5.1.3 Tonality of the Female Led Employer Brand
5.1.4 Design of the Female Led Employer Brand
5.2 Presentation of Female Led Employer Brand
6 Conclusion
6.1 Results
6.2 Outlook and Future Research
Objectives and Research Themes
This thesis investigates the impact of female leadership on a company's employer brand (EB) in male-dominated industries. By analyzing leadership styles and corporate governance from the employer's perspective, the research seeks to understand how female leaders influence organizational reputation, HR policy, and recruitment processes to position their companies as preferred employers, particularly in sectors facing skilled labor shortages.
- Analysis of the relationship between leadership styles (transformational, transactional) and employer branding.
- Theoretical examination of the unique influences female leaders have on corporate image, HR policy, and recruitment.
- Practical exploration through expert interviews with female executives in male-dominated metalworking and engineering firms.
- Development of a "female led employer brand wheel" for strategic positioning.
- Evaluation of recommendations for female leaders to enhance their employer brand and corporate visibility.
Extract from the Book
2.1 Employer Brand
An EB is a facet of the corporate brand (CB). The EB fulfils the scientific requirements of a brand, which defines a brand as a name, term, sign, symbol, design or combination of these to differentiate it from other suppliers. The brand’s function is to build up an emotional relationship between the brand holder and the recipient, to develop a strong affection and loyalty. Therefore a brand creates an image of a product or service in the customers or reference group mind. Besides products or services also an image can also be transferred to a company, which is part of the approach of the CB. Thus it can also be transferred to an employer as an EB.
According to this a company has to operate with many stakeholders, thus a CB is not a homogenous entity, it has to be viewed from different perspectives of the stakeholders. So every perspective of the CB causes a new image of the company. Only differentiating and individual interacting with the target group allow the brand to appear positively. Thus the EB describes how current and potential employees perceive the company, as an employer and how they should perceive the company as an employer in future. This means that the EB is not only a marketing tool; it is also a tool for corporate governance, for the personal management activities as a whole.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter defines the problem, the rising number of female leaders in Germany, and the research objectives regarding the influence of these leaders on employer branding.
2 Definition of Terms: Provides foundational definitions for Employer Brand (EB) and leadership, exploring different leadership styles and specific characteristics attributed to female leadership.
3 Theoretical Examination of the Influences of Female Leadership on the Employer Brand: Theoretically analyzes how female leadership affects corporate image, HR policy, and recruiting using the model of Teufer (1999).
4 Practical Examination of the Influences of Female Leadership on the Employer Brand: Conducts qualitative empirical research via expert interviews with seven female leaders in male-dominated industries to validate the theoretical findings.
5 Management Implication: Translates research findings into actionable management strategies, specifically using an EB wheel to position and present female-led employer brands.
6 Conclusion: Summarizes the results, concluding that female leadership positively influences the employer brand through specific behaviors, and provides an outlook for future research.
Keywords
Employer Brand, Female Leadership, Corporate Image, Human Resource Policy, Recruiting, Transformational Leadership, Corporate Culture, Employer Branding, Management, Best Practice, Professional Development, Work-Life Balance, Workplace Design, SME, Gender Differences.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this master's thesis?
The thesis explores how female leadership influences the employer brand (EB) of a company, specifically focusing on companies in male-dominated industries.
What are the central thematic areas covered in the work?
The work covers theoretical definitions of employer branding and leadership, the specific characteristics of female leadership, and practical insights into how these leadership styles affect organizational culture and recruitment.
What is the primary research question?
The primary research objective is to determine how female leaders influence a company's employer brand, whether they differ from male leaders, and how this leadership style impacts corporate governance and the resulting employer brand.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The study uses a qualitative empirical approach. This includes a theoretical literature review followed by expert interviews with seven female company leaders in male-dominated industries.
What topics are discussed in the main part of the thesis?
The main part examines corporate image, human resource policy, and recruiting processes, substantiated by a "best practice" study of Franz Hof GmbH, and concludes with management implications for positioning a female-led employer brand.
Which keywords best characterize the thesis?
Key terms include Employer Brand, Female Leadership, Corporate Culture, Recruiting, Transformational Leadership, and Employer Branding Strategy.
How does the "best practice" example contribute to the research?
The case study of Franz Hof GmbH, led by Katja Hof, serves as a practical application of the theoretical models discussed, illustrating how a female leader can affect economic success and employer brand perception in a male-dominated engineering company.
What is the "Employer Brand Wheel" mentioned in the management implications?
It is a conceptual framework adapted to the EB, divided into "hard facts" (benefits/attributes) and "soft facts" (tonality/image), used to strategically position a female-led company as an employer of choice.
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- Irena Stotz (Autor:in), 2013, Influences of Female Leadership on the Employer Brand, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/265761
