Motivation of Managers: Is Gender a Factor?

Respondents consisted of 124 working managers (62 men, 62 women) whose needs for Achievement ( nAch), Affiliation ( nAff), and Power ( nPwr) were tested using two types of Thematic Apperception Tests, male-oriented and balanced as to sex. Results of a two-way ANOVA indicate that women managers have a higher nAch, a not significantly different nAff, and a higher nPwr than managerial men. Changing social values as well as the obstacles women face in first getting managerial jobs and then having to overcome sex-role conflicts—all possibly channel a specific type of woman into these managerial positions, as other factors act to select men.