Feminine epistemology of workplace power: A postmodern exploration of androcentric instruction and gynocentric construction

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2003), women occupied one-half of the managerial and professional specialty positions in the United States in 2003. Yet, despite the growth in gender diversity in the workplace, little research has explored how institutionally accepted and perpetuated definitions of terms fit with the increasing personnel changes inside corporate structures. Post modernists suggest personal interpretations of words and concepts open the door to multiple meanings as diverse as the employee pools themselves. How can we be sure that words hold the same values for everyone?; The lack of data regarding feminine epistemology of workplace concepts specifically led to this exploration of women's realities surrounding power at work. While the significance of this study suggests a simple desire to hear new information that adds to women's studies, the bottom line benefit is to help organizations better manage and utilize their feminine human resources. The goal is that better understanding has the potential to reduce employee costs and increase organizational profitability.; Through qualitative phenomenological inquiry, fifteen women in Fortune 1000 like organizations told their stories. Issues of gynocentric socialization and androcentric institutionalization combined and resulted in the workplace power realities these women possess today. Social Construction and Next Logical Step Theories shaped the women's journeys to their present corporate positions, expectations, and understandings. Despite individual diversity of life paths, epistemologies were similar with all participants sure that workplace power was something they individually possessed given control over their own destiny and an ability to meet multiple needs simultaneously.; Opportunities exist to further explore the epistemological influences of specialized educational programs and the relationship between timing of work and educational experience for women. In the same way, this research confirmed a need for the educational system to address specific gender needs and for organizations to expand static definitions and accompanying expectations of power in the workplace.