Values and attitudes towards
women in Argentina, Brazil,
Colombia, and Mexico
Miguel R. Olivas-Luja
´
n
Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Clarion, Pennsylvania, USA
Silvia Ine
´
s Monserrat
Universidad del Centro, Tandil, Argentina
Jaime A. Ruiz-Gutierrez
School of Management, University of Los Andes, Bogota
´
, Colombia
Regina A. Greenwood
Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale-Davie, Florida, USA
Sergio Madero Go
´
mez
Departamento Acade
´
mico de Administracio
´
n, Tec de Monterrey,
Monterrey, Mexico
Edward F. Murphy Jr
Travis AFB Academic Center, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University,
Travis, California, USA, and
Neusa Maria Bastos F. Santos
Pontifı
´
cia Universidade Cato
´
lica de Sa
˜
o Paulo, Sa
˜
o Paulo, Brazil
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report results from an exploratory, empirical research
study that describes personal values and attitudes toward women, two themes that strongly impact
employment relations and a wide variety of management issues.
Design/methodology/approach – Well-established measures for the major themes for this paper
were used in constructing a questionnaire. Data collection instruments were vetted for content, translated
and back-translated, and applied by native researchers, who also contributed local expertise to the paper.
Findings – Female respondents across all four countries were more egalitarian in their attitudes
towards women in the workforce than were men. Additionally, Colombian respondents had more
egalitarian attitudes towards women scores, followed by Brazilians and Argentineans; Mexicans
exhibited the least egalitarian attitudes toward women.
Originality/value – This is the first empirical study that links two well-validated constructs
(personal values and attitudes toward women) in samples from the largest Latin American countries.
Keywords Women, Individual psychology, Attitudes, Management attitudes, South America
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
A well accepted socio-cultural science model explains that males and females are born
neutral and individuals are socialized early in life with respect to gender roles
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0142-5455.htm
Values
and attitudes
towards women
227
Received 28 July 2008
Revised 29 October 2008
Accepted 3 November 2008
Employee Relations
Vol. 31 No. 3, 2009
pp. 227-244
q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0142-5455
DOI 10.1108/01425450910946442