John Grey believes men are from Mars, women are from Venus--is it true in the business world?

John Gray, author of the best-seller Men Are From Mars: Women Are From Venus (1) maintains that there are substantial psychological disparities between men and women. While Gray deals with interpersonal relationships, the purpose of this study is to examine whether there are significant differences between women and men regarding business issues. We have chosen transportation/logistics managers to be the respondents for this study, because we believe they are excellent surrogates for management personnel. Why? Because transportation/logistics managers must be both specialists' and generalists to be successful. Johnson and Wood have noted:

The logistics manager has a highly

complex and challenging position.

The major reason is that he or she

must be both a technical expert and

a generalist. In the first capacity the

logistics manager must understand

freight rates, warehouse layouts,

inventory analysis, production, purchasing,

and transportation law. As

a generalist, the logistics manager

must understand the relationship

between all logistics functions. In

addition, he or she must relate logistics

to other operations of the

firm as well as to outside suppliers

and customers. (2)

There have been many studies that have asked logistics personnel various issues, but they have not examined the differences in the answers between men and women. Recently, two studies have asked women in the transportation/logistics area their thoughts regarding various professional issues. (3) Again, however, there has been no attempt to examine the differences between the respondents' answers and their gender. That is the purpose of this study. We asked 500 male and 500 female transportation/logistics managers to answer three queries in their own words. Specifically, the three questions are: (1) What one additional skill would you like to acquire to increase your professional competence? (2) What advice would you give to a recent female college graduate who is about to start her career in transportation/logistics? and (3) Would you prefer a male or female supervisor and why? We then compared and contrasted the responses by gender.

This article will address the following-topics: (a) a literature review of the three issues mentioned above; (b) a description of the methodology utilized in this study; (c) a gender based analysis of each of the three management issues addressed in this study; (d) a discussion of our findings; and (e) an examination of the managerial implications that emerge from this study.

Literature Review

This study examines three managerial issues and then compares and contrasts the answers by gender. Each of these issues will now be discussed briefly in terms of previous research that is germane to each topic.

Additional Skill Desired

Logistics, like many management areas, can be outsourced if senior management determines that this function can be done at either less cost or more effectively by third parties. (4) For example, Dell Computer has outsourced both inbound and outbound transportation/logistics activities to Roadway Logistics. (5) Whirlpool Corporation has recently decided to outsource its entire inbound logistics materials management function to Ryder Dedicated Logistics. (6) For this reason--among others--transportation/logistics managers must stay current in their ca reef, because it is always possible they can be terminated because of outsourcing. (7)

The Ohio State University, for a number of years, has been asking logisticians a number of questions on an annual basis. One query involved the skill that each person would like to acquire in order to enhance their professional abilities. For the years 1994 to 1997, the most noted skill that logisticians desired to upgrade was information technology. Tied for second and third places were global logistics and corporate finance. (8)

Advice to a Recent Female College Graduate

Much had been written about the problems women encounter in the business world. Books devoted to this topic include: Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women; (9) Success And Betrayals: The Crisis of Women in Corporate America; (10) When Work Doesn't Work Anymore: Women, Work And Identity; (11) and When Mothers Work: Loving Our Children Without Sacrificing Ourselves. (12) The common denominator of these books is that women have so many demands on their time that the corporate work environment is often not personally fulfilling.

There are also specific problems that women encounter in the workplace. The most common is the stress brought on by working long hours. (13) Another is sexual harassment which can be encountered in the workplace. (14) An additional female oriented problem is the "invisible women syndrome." This is where men just ignore or discount the ideas of women because of their gender. (15) Anita Borg, a senior researcher at Digital Equipment Corporation, noted this problem and stated, "You run into subtle sexism every day. It's like water torture. It wears you down." (16)

Because of the above problems, we thought it would be instructive to see what the respondents--both male and female--would offer as advice to a recent college graduate who is beginning her career in transportation/logistics management.

Gender Preference For Your Supervisor

The third question addressed in this study asked respondents if they preferred a male or a female supervisor, or if they had no preference in terms of gender, and then to tell us why in their own words. The literature review indicated three aspects to this question. One involved the potential problem of a woman having a male supervisor who demands sexual involvement for job advancement. (17) Another situation was that some men perceive that women are not effective supervisors. (18) Pat Helm, a management consultant, believes the reason for this is that women grow up in a different environment compared to men. He states, "Men grow up in hierarchies and understand how power is wielded. Girls grow up sharing power equally. There never was a 'boss doll player'." (19)

The third issue is when women purposefully use their sexuality to succeed with their male bosses. This does not imply they sleep their way to promotions, but that they are willing to use their feminine charm and flattery skills to further their careers. (20) There have also been situations where there have been alleged consensual sexual relations between a male boss and a female subordinate. The most famous situation involved Mary Cunningham, a young executive who was constantly working with William Agee, the chief executive officer of Bendix in the early 1980s. A cover story in Fortune entitled, "Women, Sex, and Power," referring to Agee and Cunningham stated, "Now married, the couple always denied having a sexual relationship at Bendix. But the Mary-and-Bill saga was the talk of the business world, and it remains so titillating that high-powered women to this day carry some burden of proving they did not sleep their way to the top." (21)

Research Methodology

In order to better understand the gender differences regarding the three management issues noted above, a sample of logistics and transportation professionals was surveyed. Independent systematic random samples of 500 male and 500 female logisticians were selected from the 1997 Council of Logistics Management Membership Directory. We eliminated all individuals who were either a consultant or a professor at a college or university. Each potential respondent was first sent a copy of the two page questionnaire along with a cover letter urging his or her participation. Approximately ten days later a second copy of the questionnaire was sent with a cover letter thanking those who had responded and reminding the others to please do so.

Altogether, usable response were received from 146 female professionals, representing 146/500=.292, or 29.2% of the initial sample. Also, usable responses were received from 155 male professionals, representing 155/500=.310 or 31.0% of the initial sample. These response rates are considered very good, especially considering the professional status of those contacted. Responses from these 146 female and 155 male logistics professionals, then, form the database for this study. In terms of respondent demographics, the males were older than the females. For the male participants, 4.5% were under 30; 20.6% were age 30 to 39; 43.9% were 40 to 49; and the 50 and over category accounted for 31.0%. For the women respondents, 13.2% were under age 30; 34.7% were 30 to 39; 41.7% were 40 to 49; and 10.4% were age 50 and over. Looking at education, the male respondents possessed more formal education. For the men in our survey, 6.5% did not have a college degree; 47.7% did have a college degree; and 45.8% had earned a graduate degree. For the female respondents, 19.2% had not graduated from college; 42.4% were college graduates; and 38.4% had achieved a graduate degree. There are also substantial differences in the incomes of the male and female respondents--undoubtedly based on the relatively younger ages of the female participants. For the men in our sample: 8.6% had an income nearest to $40,000; 21.7%-$60,000; 21.7%-$80,000; 22.4% -$100,000 and 25.6% reported their in come as $120,000 and more. For the women in our survey: 22.5% had an income closest to $40,000; 33.3%-$60,000; 15.9%-$80,000; 13.8%-$100,000 and 14.5% received an income of $120,000 or more.

Additional Skill Desired

Each respondent was asked, "From your position as a manager in transportation/logistics, what one additional skill would you like to acquire that would help advance your career? Please explain." For both men and women we analyzed their responses and we will discuss the four most frequently noted responses for both men and women.

Males--Most Desired Skill

Of the 155 men who participated in this study, 151 completed this question. For these men, we were able to categorize their responses into 16 general themes. Below we will examine--in descending order--the four general themes that appeared most frequently. We will also include a number of verbatim statements, so the reader can grasp the flavor of the respondents' comments.

Information/Computer Technology

Of the 151 respondents, 53 men (35.1%) stated that their greatest need was to update their information/computer skills. Here are three of their comments:

* "I need to increase my computer skills. At my company there is a phenomenal amount of information available that would be useful to me, but at present I am not able myself to access this information."

* "At my company we have MIS people, but the problem is that they do not understand what I need and I don't know enough about information technology to be able to explain my needs to them. Since this is affecting my ability to do my job effectively, the burden is on me to better understand computers so I can more effectively ask for help."

* "I need to learn more PC software applications, especially in the area of site location models and inventory strategies."

Financial Management

The second most desired skill was an increased knowledge of financial management. This desire was stated by 32 male respondents or 21.2% of the total. Below are three of their statements:

* "I'd like to better understand how senior managers think, and what they look for when deciding which projects to fund and emphasize. Too often, I have left meetings shaking my head and wondering what these top managers were basing their decisions on. I know they involve financial concepts, but I do not really understand their reasoning with my engineering/technical background."

* "Financial understanding is essential to understanding which of our initiatives will be funded. I do not understand capital budgeting techniques and this is a serious personal deficiency."

* "I would like to possess a greater facility in understanding corporate financial management. There is a crying need to be able to tell the logistics story in a language that senior corporate managers understand."

Communication Skills

Sixteen male respondents (10.6%) stated that their greatest need is to strengthen their communication skills--both orally and in writing. Here are two of their observations:

* "I can conceptualize what needs to be done, but I can't effectively write the proposal. I need to develop my writing skills, because it is frustrating to have ideas and not be able to effectively tell my boss and his boss what I have in mind."

* "I spend a lot of my time in small groups where I must update my peers on what my group had been doing and the projects that we would like to start. I get the feeling that when I start to talk, most people look bored and don't seem to pay attention to what I am saying. I think a major reason for this is my inability to speak persuasively. In fact, I have been told by a friend of mine I speak with no emotion in a monotone."

Global Issues

The fourth most commonly desired skill to acquire was a better understanding of global business activity. This point was noted by 10 males or 6.6% of the respondents. Below are two of their observations:

* "An increasing portion of my time involves global sourcing. I am also involved in shipping the finished products to Europe and other parts of the world. I wish I could speak a minimal level of both French and Italian, because we have facilities and customers in both countries."

* "I wish I was fluent in Mandarin Chinese. Without a doubt, the future of American business lies with the 1.2 billion Chinese people. We are already doing some business in China and I believe this aspect of our business will explode in the next ten years. "

Females--Most Desired Skill

There were 146 female respondents, and of these women, 137 answered the question dealing with the one additional skill that they would like to acquire which would help them advance their career. We were able to categorize their answers into 12 general themes. Below we will examine the four general answers that appeared most frequently. The themes will be discussed in the descending order of frequency that they appeared.

Information/Computer Technology

The most desired skill to acquire from the female perspective was additional knowledge about information and computer technology. This point was stated by 41 women or 29.9% of the female participants. Here are three of their comments:

* "I need better information system knowledge. Since most IS people at my company know next to nothing about what I do, they can't identify with my information needs. Therefore, I need to develop better IS skills so I can better tell them, in their own language, what I need to be more productive."

* "Logistics lives and dies based on information and therefore I should have a better understanding of information technology. As our company improves its information quality, I feel I am falling behind in terms of being able to use this resource to its fullest advantage."

* "I would like to become more sophisticated regarding computer applications in logistics. There are so many applications regarding inventory management and techniques to achieve various levels of customer service standards that I am only vaguely aware of. This skill would greatly improve my efficiency."

Communication Skills

The second most desired skill improvement by females is to strengthen their communication skills. This objective was stated by 18 women or 13.1% of the female respondents. Below are three of their observations:

* "I would like to be able to communicate more like a consultant. They are really smooth and politically correct--they never offend anyone and don't really say anything."

* "I need better speaking/presentation skills. I am never happy to get up and speak in front of an audience. I can do it. I've been told I do a good job when I do it, but I work myself into a frenzy beforehand."

* "Better communication skills, because making your point dearly is more important than thinking up the idea in the first place."

Financial Management

An increased understanding of financial management was the third most desired skill of the female participants. It was noted by 17 women or 12.4% of the total. Here are three of their statements:

* "Financial analysis tools. Each operational improvement requires capital improvement resources that must be justified. It would be easier if I could speak the language of the senior management that are making these capital allocation decisions."

* "I have a good feel for why a project will be successful, but I can't quantify my plan. I need better ways to explain the financial implications of logistical decisions or proposals to senior management."

* "Improved financial knowledge that would help in creating proposals that 'speak' to senior management, i.e. CEOs and CFOs."

Supervisory Skills

The fourth most desired skill--noted by 14 women or 10.2%--was to improve their general supervisory skills. Here are two of their observations:

* "I am a productive worker, but I'm not comfortable as a manager. I need to develop the ability to manage a diverse group of people (men, women, young and old) in order to establish a cohesive group that is so efficient that I will be recognized for my managerial skills and be promoted to the next level of management."

* "I am a poor boss because I don't like telling people that they are not doing their jobs well. It makes me very nervous to reprimand employees, and when I have had to fire people, I am an emotional wreck for days both before and after the termination."

Advice to a Recent Female College Graduate

Each respondent was asked, "From your position as a manager in transportation/logistics, what one piece of advice would you give to a recent female college graduate about to enter this industry?" For both women and men we studied their responses to this question and we were able to categorize their replies into general themes. Below we will examine the four most common thoughts of women and men.

Women's Advice to Women

Of the 146 women who participated in this study, 141 answered this question. We are able to categorize these responses into 12 general themes, and below will be found the four general answers that appeared most frequently. Also included are a number of verbatim statements so the reader can better appreciate the respondents' comments.

Work Diligently and Avoid Excuses

The most common advice by women to women was to do their jobs in an outstanding manner and to avoid making excuses for not getting the job accomplished. This point was made by 46 females or 32.6% of the women respondents who answered this question. Here are four of their comments:

* "Do your job better than the men in the office. Also, learn from men. When they are corrected and reprimanded by their bosses, they accept these setbacks much better than woman do. We take things too personally and tend to sulk. Men accept criticism and keep on going."

* "Don't play gender policies; just do your job the best way you can at all times. If you do encounter gender bias, however, and it goes beyond innocent repartee, then she should confront the offender in an open forum--let the sunshine in on it and make everyone learn from the experience."

* "Do your job and don't be a whiner. I want to be treated as an equal and therefore I have to act as an equal without excuses. Thus I don't have a right to mood swings or special privileges."

* "My career has been successful for two reasons. First, I outperform the men in my office. Secondly, since most of my co-workers are men, I try to take an interest in what they enjoy, such as sports. The main factor holding women back is they often have an "attitude" implying that their lack of success is not their own making but a conspiracy of men to hold back the progress of women managers."

Be as Assertive as Men

The second most common theme to assist new female managers--as noted by the women respondents--was to be as assertive as men. This point was stated by 37 women or 26.2% of the female survey participants. Here are a few of their statements:

* "Men will interrupt you when speaking and they will try to bully and cower you by talking louder than you do. Don't let it happen! Be as aggressive as they are. At first they will be surprised by your assertiveness, then they will respect you because they know they can't intimidate you."

* "There is a double standard in business. It is not fair but you must learn to live with it. Men who are assertive are seen as the ideal take charge kind of manager, while women with this aura are often seen as being a bitch. Stay confident and do not allow your ideas to be dismissed because you are a woman."

* "You don't have to minimize your femininity, but you do have to be strong willed when stating your position. Men will try to bully you by interrupting and other rude behavior Don't allow this to happen. Demand that everyone present give your ideas the same thought and respect as if a male were making the presentation."

* "Women have a great advantage over men because we often see problems from different perspectives than they do. The problem is that some men are threatened by our unique ideas and therefore try to dismiss them because they came from women. Be assertive and confident in yourself. Demand the same respect that male ideas receive."

Keep Learning

Twenty-nine women (20.6%) stated that the most important advice for a new female logistics manager is to continually upgrade her professional knowledge. Here are three of their comments:

* "Listen and learn. The people you encounter on a day-to-day basis can teach you more in a month than a whole year in a university classroom. Knowledge is power. And men respect power."

* "Learn all you can about the operation you are assigned to. Your knowledge is your worth to your employer. Never stop learning, both inside your company and outside by developing professional contacts via trade association meetings. Also continue your formal education by taking short classes and attending national annual meetings of professional associations. The result will be that your ideas are based on facts. Men don't want to know what you feel about an issue: they want facts. Finally, don't bluff when you don't know the facts; just admit it. Your career isn't poker and you won't be given many second chances."

* "Never stop learning. Bob Dylan's words are more true now than ever, 'The Times They Are A" Changin.' Failure to broaden your skill set and horizons will make you obsolete. The more you do the more valuable you are to your employer."

Develop a Mentor

The importance of finding a mentor was noted by 11 female respondents (7.8%). They stated that if the employer does not have an organized mentoring program, then each female manager must find her own. Here are two of their observations:

* "Men develop mentors through extracurricular activities, such as bowling or golf. Women must take the initiative to also develop mentors. I started with a male mentor that was very helpful to me. If he were not there early in my career, I would have floundered and failed. New female managers ideally should have two mentors, one male and one female. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of having a mentor who knows the way things really work and will share this wisdom with a younger employee."

* "Every company has its own customs and traditions. Men historically learned them from informal networks of other men. Women must also learn them. The problem is that since there are relatively fewer women in many companies, it is harder for female managers to learn the ropes from other females. The solution is not to whine, but to take the initiative to establish your own mentors. The gender of your mentor is less important than having one or two. Women who try to advance their careers without the help of a mentor are making the situation much more difficult than it has to be."

Men's Advice to Women

Of the 155 males who responded to this survey, 147 answered the query regarding their one piece of advice to a new female manager about to enter the transportation/logistics industry. These responses were categorized into 11 general themes, and below we will examine the four general answers that appeared most frequently.

Keep Learning

The most common advice offered by men to beginning female transportation/logistics managers was to keep acquiring new skills and knowledge so that she can become a more productive and efficient employee. This point was stated by 33 male respondents or 22.4% of the men who answered this question. Here are four of their statements:

* "The key to success is knowledge. Never let a day go by that you do not actively pursue greater understanding of your job and how it fits into the long term success of your company. Take an active position in local trade associations and also attend their annual meetings. If possible, earn an MBA at the best university that you can get accepted into. Once senior management recognizes your zest for personal improvement, you will be given more opportunities to utilize your expanded knowledge base."

* "No one can achieve success for you. You must do it yourself. The best and most reliable path to success is to know more than your fellow workers. Knowledge is the key that unlocks the door to career advancement. If you do not already possess a Masters degree, then enroll ASAP."

* "Continually seek to increase your cross-functional skills. That is, you must not only master your job, but try to constantly strive to understand the functional areas that you interact with on a regular basis. The more you know, the faster you will be given more responsibility and the quicker you will advance your careen"

* "Logistics is changing, literally, daily. The key to one's long term success is professional knowledge. Therefore, commit yourself to learning more about your job and how it can be more efficiently performed. Join local professional associations and attend their meetings on a regular basis. Attend one day conferences that are offered in your city and be sure to attend the annual meetings of your national trade association. Promotions go to those people who best solve the problems. Who are these people? Those who have the best knowledge base."

Work Diligently and Avoid Excuses

The second most common suggestion for a new female manager in transportation/ logistics was to work diligently at your assignment and do not make excuses for not accomplishing your goals. This point was noted by 28 men or 19.0% of the male respondents. Here are four of their comments

* "The world is full of men and women who are skilled at explaining why they can't accomplish their objectives in a timely manner What the business world desperately needs are managers who accept responsibility and accomplish their goals on time. My advice is this make sure you clearly understand what your boss requires and when it is supposed to be accomplished. Then do it! Take my word for it--you will be promoted so quickly you will be greatly surprised."

* "Work extremely hard, accomplish your objectives, make no excuses, and your career will advance quicker than you ever imagined it would. Remember this, most people are lazy and will do the least they can get by with. Therefore, it isn't that hard to separate yourself from your contemporaries."

* "Dedicate yourself to your own work. Most people will not and therefore, since you outwork them, you will also outperform them. Success in business is not difficult to achieve if you are willing to subordinate your personal life to your job."

* "For most people a job is a means to an end. Develop a passion for your job and then it will be easy to put in the long hours needed to outperform others at your level in the company. Hard work pays off and there is no substitute for it."

Avoid Staff Jobs/ Seek Line Positions

Sixteen men (10.9%) thought that new female employees should try to steer their careers away from staff positions and to wards line managerial jobs. Here are three of their statements:

* "Staff positions are the first to be eliminated when companies are trying to reduce expenses. Therefore, the key for new employees is to attain experience in actually managing a function not studying it. Once you have mastered one aspect of transportation/logistics/ supply chain management, then approach your boss and try to get another assignment where you will be in charge of another operational activity. Line managers are the ones who are given responsibility, and if they achieve favorable results, they are promoted very quickly."

* "Some people talk--others do. The doers get ahead. Hence, become a doer by being in charge of operations in a line management capacity. Try very hard in your career to avoid staff assignments. These are generally dead-end positions that are occupied with men and women who have been identified as having very little upside to their respective careers."'

* "Staff positions offer almost no chance to distinguish oneself. All you do is analyze issues, typically in groups of people, but it is the line managers who implement the programs and attain the glory when things are successful. If a female (or a male) manager desires early recognition, the key to success is to obtain a position of responsibility and accomplish results. This is where the action is in the real world!"

Be as Assertive as Men

Twelve males (8.2%) thought that the best advice they could give to beginning female transportation/logistics managers was for these women to be as assertive as men when stating their positions. Here are two of their comments:

* "Men will try to intimidate women by interrupting them and talking louder than they do. I'm ashamed to admit that I have done this in the 'heat of battle.' This is wrong and I know it and I'm trying very hard not to do this again. Last year one of my group members was saying something in a meeting that I did not agree with and I rudely interrupted her. She immediately shot back, "Will you please let me finish what I was saying. You don't have to agree with me, but at least let me tell you my thoughts on this issue.' I was shocked by her assertiveness and to this day I respect her for putting me in my place. I should also say that when she speaks now, everyone listens respectfully to her."

* "Women should not be 'shrinking violets.' They must be as forceful as men when making their positions known. At my company, we have a course that women and men can take, called assertiveness training, but we call it 'drill sergeant school." What it stresses is that there are some people who are not polite. This is too bad, but in fact there are bullies in the world. The purpose of this class, I've been told, is to show women and men how to verbally defend themselves in this type of situation."

Would You Prefer a Male or Female Supervisor?

Another question asked the respondent, "Would you prefer a: --male supervisor, --female supervisor, or --no preference." We then asked each respondent to tell us why they selected their answer.

Prefer a Male Supervisor

Of the 298 women and men who answered this question, 28 respondents (9.4%) stated they would prefer a male supervisor. Of these 28 businesspeople, 15 were men (53.6%) and 13 were women (46.4%). Below is an examination of the reasons for their positions.

Male Respondent Explanations

Of the 15 men who preferred a male supervisor, below you will find four of their narrative explanations for taking this position.

* "Female managers emotions run too high. It is easy to offend a woman because they interpret things differently than I do."

* "My experience with women supervisors is that you cannot speak to them bluntly about a situation. They will take things personally and use them to get back at you."

* "Males generally have a better handle on being in an authority position. They are less likely to have a cross to bear and do not seem as likely to let power go to their head."

* "The female managers I've seen appear to have an enormous 'chip on their shoulder' and because of this are sure that most men are plotting to make them appear less than effective in their positions."

Female Respondent Explanations

There were 13 women who preferred to have a male boss. Here are three of their reasons:

* "I would feel too competitive with another woman--it is not as threatening working for a man."

* "My experience with women is that they have an 'air of superiority' about them which I do not like. They do not seem to be at ease in power positions. They are especially hard on female subordinates, while they are much more gracious to men who work for them."

* "Female managers are too tough on other females. I think they do this so they do not appear to be giving women preferential treatment."

Prefer a Female Supervisor

There were five respondents (1.7%)--all female who stated they would prefer to have a woman as their supervisor. Here are two of their statements:

* "Women have a better understanding of the needs to balance work and life requirements. My perception is also that female managers have better overall management skills."

* "I feel a female manager has a better understanding of the issues facing a working mother. Also, women have better lines of communication. Many men are afraid of or are intimidated by female subordinates."

No Gender Preference For a Supervisor

Of the 298 people who expressed an opinion about gender preferences for their supervisor, an overwhelming 265 respondents (88.9%) stated they had no gender preference for their boss. Of these managers, 138 (51.2%) were male and 127 (47.9%) were women. Below you will find the explanations for their positions.

Female Managers Who Have No Gender Preference

Below you will find five statements from women explaining why they have no gender preference for their supervisor:

* "I respect and work well with anyone who is honest, fair, supportive, and who is a good communicator."

* "I prefer to work with professional, qualified, focused individuals regardless of gender, race, religion, etc."

"I prefer a supervisor who is: politically connected, aware of their own skills and the skills of the team; willing to lead a team rather than dictate and then take all the credit for the team's accomplishments. Few supervisors have all these skills, but gender is clearly irrelevant to what I desire in a boss."

* "It really depends on the individual. Women may be more 'nurturing' but sometimes develop a 'queen bee' syndrome that makes them hard to work for Men get less hung up on details and are generally better delegators."

* "Sex, age, and color mean nothing. Results, communication skills, customer focus, and the basic fairness of supervisors are what is really important."

Male Managers Who Have No Gender Preference

Below you will find five comments from male respondents who indicated that they had no gender preference for their supervisor:

* "I have had both male and female supervisors. I grew up with women in my business school classes and now in industry. Gender makes no difference to me. A poor boss comes in many forms, the least factor is gender."

* "I'll work for anyone who can teach me how to be a more productive employee, who is fair, who will recognize my contributions, and will enhance my potential for promotion."

* "Gender doesn't matter as much as the managers" political clout in the organization, their knowledge of the operation and their ability to teach me how to become a more valuable employee."

* "Gender is irrelevant. I just want a boss who is knowledgeable about what I have to do so he or she can help me learn how to do my job. The ideal boss is one who is really trying to teach me how to do his/ her job."

* "Age, gender and religion--who cares! What I want in a boss is someone who will support me, develop my skills, not get too excited if I make a mistake as long as I learn from it, and who has a good sense of humor"

Discussion

Psychologist John Gray has become a best selling author by examining the differences between men and women in their personal lives. We found, however, that in the professional lives of men and women transportation/logistics managers, their thoughts and ideas are remarkably similar. Thus, the first question asked both men and women was what one additional skill they would like to acquire in order to enhance their career advancement. We found that the answers for men and women were substantially uniform. Both males and females selected the same first choice by a wide margin--the desire to enhance their information and computer technology skills. Their second and third choices were again similar, although the order was transposed for men and women. Women selected communication skills as their second desired skill and in third place was additional financial management knowledge. Men had the same two requirements but in the reverse order. There was a difference in the fourth most desired skill of men and women. Women desired to improve their supervisory skills while men opted for increased knowledge of global business issues.

The next question asked men and women what single piece of advice they would give to a recent female college graduate about to start her career in the transportation/logistics area. Again, the answers were almost the same. Three of the top four answers from both men and women were the same, although the order was different. These three suggestions were--work diligently and don't make excuses, keep learning, and be as assertive as men. The differences between the advice of men and women involved two ideas. Women stated that new female managers should attempt to acquire a mentor as soon as possible after starting their new position. Men, on the other hand, thought that the new female manager should try to direct her career towards line positions as opposed to staff assignments.

The final question asked each respondent if they would prefer a male or female supervisor and why they took this position. Again, the answers to this query were very similar. About 9% of the respondents--with almost an equal number of men and women stated they would prefer a male supervisor. Less than 2% of the survey participants desired a female leader and this position was only taken by women. Finally, almost 90% of the respondents--again with an almost equal distribution of men and women -stated they had no gender preference for their supervisor.

Managerial Implication

We believe there are three findings from this research, that if implemented, will result in more productive male and female managers. The first is the need for both men and women managers to have additional continuing education. Because there was such unanimity in the needs of the respondents, we believe there is a great need for most employers to arrange additional technical seminars and programs for their managers in these three areas--information and computer technology, written and oral communication, and financial management. Two additional areas could also be offered, again because the need was noted by respondents. One was general managerial skills and the other was global business issues.

A second issue that emerged from this study was the need to have a formalized mentoring program for all new managers. The respondents noted how helpful a mentor can be to a new manager in terms of helping her/him understand exactly how the company operates. It was also noted that because there are more males at the present time in senior management positions, and that traditionally mentoring has taken place between managers of the same gender, the result has been detrimental to women's success. We recommend that all new managers both female and male--be assigned to a mentor who will be responsible for assisting these neophyte managers to become acculturated to the company. Our final recommendation also involves additional specialized training. When the respondents were asked to give one piece of advice to a female college graduate about to start her career, both men and women stated that women must learn to be as assertive as men. We believe that companies should provide this type of training to all their employees. It will assist the employee in the art of verbal self-defense against bullies who try to interrupt them and/or talk louder then they do. We readily acknowledge that men and women who are verbal ruffians are boorish. Unfortunately, these people do exist, and therefore each employee should receive training in how to not let this rude behavior overwhelm them.

(1) (New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1992).

(2) James C. Johnson and Donald F. Wood. Contemporary Logistics, 6th ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1996), p. 17.

(3) Martha C. Cooper and Bernard J. La Londe, "1997 Career Patterns of Women in Logistics," 1997 Annual Conference Proceedings of the Council of Logistics Management (Oak Park, IL: Council of Logistics Management, 1998), pp. 93-112 and Peter M. Lynagh, Paul R. Murphy and Richard F. Poist, "Women's Views Regarding Employment in Transportation and Logistics," Journal of Transportation Law, Logistics and Policy (Winter 1998), pp. 166-181.

(4) Robert J. Bowman, "The Case of the Vanishing Job Title, Distribution (January 1996), pp. 32 37; James C. Johnson and Kenneth C. Schneider, "Outsourcing in Distribution: The Growing Importance of Transportation Brokers," Business Horizons (November/December 1995), pp. 40-48; Anna Wilde Mathews, "Logistics Firms Flourish Amid Trend in Outsourcing," The Wall Street Journal (June 2, 1998), p. B6; and Robert Wakers, "Scrambling for Jobs," Distribution (January 1996), p. 27.

(5) Laurie Joan Aron, "Logistics: From Assembly Line to Corner Office," Inbound Logistics (July 1995), p. 32.

(6) Lisa Harrington, "The Outsourcing Decision: Step by Step," Inbound Logistics (June 1995), pp. 18-24.

(7) Robert J. Bowman, "Is Your Career Adrift?" Distribution (June 1994), pp. 26-30; Chuck Franzetta, "Top 10 Traits of the Perfect Logistician," Inbound Logistics (November 1997), p. 35: Cindy Johnston, "The Perfect Logistician," Inbound Logistics (November 1997), pp. 32-33: and Michael L. King, "Breaking Away," Distribution (June 1995), pp. 32-36.

(8) See: Annual Conference Proceedings of the Council of Logistics Management (Oak Park: IL) 1994, p. 100; 1995, p. 209; 1996, p. 129; and 1997, p. 62.

(9) Susan Faludi, Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women (New York: Crown Publishers, 1991).

(10) Sarah Hardesty and Nehama Jacobs, Success and Betrayal: The Crisis of Women in Corporate America (New York: Franklin Watts, 1986).

(11) Elizabeth Perle McKenna, When Work Doesn't Work Anymore: Women, Work, and Identity (New York: Delacorte, 1997).

(12) Joan K. Peters, When Mothers Work: Loving Our Children Without Sacrificing Ourselves (Reading, MA: Addison Wesley, 1997).

(13) See: Keith H. Hammonds and Gabrielle Saveri, "Accountants Have Lives, Too, You Know," Business Week (February 23, 1998), pp. 88-90; Diane E. Lewis, "Disenchanted Women Give Up Careers to Stay Home," Minneapolis Star Tribune (April 6, 1998), p. D7; Betsy Morris, "Executive Women Confront Midlife Crisis," Fortune (September 17, 1995), pp. 60 86; Felice N. Schwartz, "Management Women and the New Facts of Life," Harvard Business Review (January February 1989), pp. 65 76; and Sue Shellenbarger, "More Execs Resigning for Family Time," Minneapolis Star Tribune (March 15, 1998), p. D5.

(14) William C. Symonds, Steve Harem and Gaff DeGeorge, "Sex on the Job," Business Week (February 16, 1998), pp. 30-31; and Mark Maremont, "Abuse of Power," Business Week (May 13, 1996), pp. 86-98.

(15) See: Kathleen Reardon, "The Memo Every Woman Keeps in Her Desk." Harvard Business Review (March April 1993), pp. 16-22 and Robert Schrank, "Two Women, Three Men on a Raft," Harvard Business Review (May-June 1994), pp. 68-80.

(16) Robert D. Hof and Steve Harem, "Why Women Are So Invisible," Business Week (August 25, 1997), p. 136.

(17) See: Miriam Horn, "Sex and the CEO," U.S. News and World Report (July 6, 1998), pp. 32-40: Carol Hymowitz and Ellen Joan Pollock, "The Once Clear Line in Interoffice Romance Has Become Blurred," The Wall Street Journal (February 4, 1998), pp. Al, 8; Marianne Lavelle, "The New Rules of Sexual Harassment," U.S. News and World Report (July 6, 1998), pp. 30 31; Maremont; and Symonds, Hamm and DeGeorge.

(18) Anne Fisher, "A Delicate Question: Why Are Women Bosses So Nasty to Me?" Fortune (April 14, 1997), p. 165.

(19) Anne Fisher, "Readers Sound Off': Women Bosses Really Can Be A Nightmare," Fortune (June 23, 1997), p. 164.

(20) John Huey, "The Importance of Flirting," Fortune (August 5, 1996), p. 6.

(21) Patricia Sellers, "Women, Sex and Power," Fortune (August 5, 1996), p. 44.

James C. Johnson, Ph.D. is a Professor of Marketing and Transportation, Diane J. McClure, Ph.D. is Senior Research Associate, and Kenneth C. Schneider, Ph.D. is a Professor of Marketing and Marketing Research. All authors are located in St. Cloud Minnesota at the St. Cloud State University.