Gendered perceptions about female managers in Turkish sport organizations

Research question: This study examines the views of employees working in Turkish sport organizations on the qualities of sport managers, their preference for female or male sport managers, and their attitudes toward female managers. Research methods: A quantitative research design based on the data of 244 female employees and 492 male employees was chosen. Results and findings: The results of the Women as Managers Scale indicated that gender, education, marital status, the preference for female or male sport managers, and the type of organization significantly affected gender role stereotypes and attitudes toward women’s career advancement. In addition, the under-representation of women can be partly explained by dominant meanings, which are framed in the sport and sport experience given to a sport manager. Implications: In line with role congruity theory, management in Turkish sport organizations is stereotyped as a masculine domain requiring agentic characteristics and sport experience is more strongly attributed to men. As a result, employees have a general preference for male sport managers and male employees in particular have negative attitudes toward female managers.