Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the differences between men and women school administrators in motivations to become managers. The study was conducted to determine reasons for low incidence of women in management positions, and particularly, higher management. The study was based on data collected from a randomly selected sample of 153 school administrators, 96 men and 57 women, at the principal and district level from public unified school districts in Los Angeles County. Participants were asked to respond to the Work Motivation Inventory (WMI), a survey instrument classifying five motivational need systems according to a synthesis of the Maslow Need Hierarchy model and Herzberg's Hygiene-Motivator theory. In addition, a Personal Data Questionnaire was used to collect demographic data and to rank respondents' specific motivations to become administrators. Analysis of the data using a separate variance t -ratio for independent means found significant differences at the.05 level in self-actualization needs, as measured by the WMI, with women administrators scoring significantly higher than men. Whites scored significantly higher at the.01 level in belonging needs, and non-whites scored significantly higher at the.05 level in safety needs. Statistical treatment using the 2 by 2 factor, sex by age, analysis of variance, found significant differences at the.05 level between younger and older administrators, in basic need scores, and a significant sex by age interaction. Examination of the mean scores of the four groups shows younger men appear to have significantly higher basic need scores than younger women, and higher scores than older men and women administrators. Significant differences were also found at the.05 level between the two age groups in self-actualization needs. Mean scores show the older group tends to score higher than the younger group. Other significant findings were that women ranked mentor influence significantly higher than men at the.01 level, and men ranked financial benefits in becoming an administrator significantly higher at the.05 level. Conclusions were that women have same potential and capabilities as men, and although there are some differences, they have very similar motivations to become managers. It is recommended that more extensive planning and training activities be implemented to attract and recruit competent, capable women into school administration, or women will seek other careers for self-actualization or fulfillment needs.