Females at strategic level affecting logistic firms’ competitiveness: qualitative comparative analysis of contrasting gender in Pakistan and Canada

Riffat  Faizan; Adnan ul  Haque; Antje  Cockrill; John  Aston

doi:10.23762/FSO_VOL7_NO1_4

Published : 2019-01-22

Vol. 7 No. 1 (2019)

Females at strategic level affecting logistic firms’ competitiveness: qualitative comparative analysis of contrasting gender in Pakistan and Canada

Riffat Faizan

Adnan ul Haque

Antje Cockrill

John Aston

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23762/FSO_VOL7_NO1_4

Abstract

Post-World War II, a significant growth in the representation of females in the workforce emerged, reflecting the significance of the female workforce in the present era. This qualitative research explores distinctive factors associated with female representation at the top levels of cargo logistics firms affecting overall competitiveness and performance in Pakistan and Canada. Earlier research has been of a single dimension and quantitative to a large extent, whereas this study undertakes a multivariate stance by considering leadership style, economies, and gender diversity in a qualitative manner, using networking, connections, and snowball sampling semi-structured interviews conducted with employees at all three levels of management. After a combined 91 (31=strategic level, 28=middle level, and 32=operational level) interviews, we reached the saturation point from which to draw a logical conclusion. The findings revealed that higher female representation at the top levels enhances innovation and the competitiveness of the firms. Gender diversity improves operational efficiency and performance. Males showed a higher preference for structured leadership, while females preferred flexible leadership. Interestingly, females in emerging economies have a higher chance of career advancement. Males are task-oriented and therefore demonstrated a preference for autonomy, while females are people-oriented, and thus showed creativity and concern for others. The original contribution of this study is that it enhances the body of knowledge by offering a qualitative in-depth understanding of the relationship between variables from a multi-dimensional perspective, namely gender, management levels and economies of interest, within one research framework

Keywords:

Africa, export value, forest production, hardwood, Heteroskedasticity

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Faizan, R. ., Haque, A. U. ., Cockrill, A. ., & Aston, J. . (2019). Females at strategic level affecting logistic firms’ competitiveness: qualitative comparative analysis of contrasting gender in Pakistan and Canada. Forum Scientiae Oeconomia, 7(1), 57–71. https://doi.org/10.23762/FSO_VOL7_NO1_4

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Riffat Faizan

iffat@sribp.com

Affiliation:

ABMS Open University Zurich

Adnan ul Haque

adnan@sribp.com

Affiliation:

University of Wales Trinity Saint David,London

Antje Cockrill

cockrill@uwtsd.ac.uk

Affiliation:

University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Swansea

Bio Statement (e.g., department and rank)

Antje Cockrill is an Associate Professor and International Partnership team leader in the
faculty of Business and Management at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Swansea, UK. Her academic career started in 2001, and prior to that, she had worked for several years as a researcher, information/ marketing officer and project manager. Her first degree is a Magister (Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universität Frankfurt), and she also holds a Master’s degree and a PhD (1996) from Aberystwyth University. She has previously worked in the public sector and the financial services sector. Her academicwork has been published in a wide range of journals and has been presented at a number of international conferences. Presently her teaching is primarily focused on Research Methods and Quantitative Methods at postgraduate and doctoral level.

John Aston

john.aston@brunel.ac.uk

Affiliation:

University of Brunel, London

Bio Statement (e.g., department and rank)

John Aston holds six degrees and professional qualifications in Finance, Management and Theology. He is also a double qualified accountant. In his career in local government and private practice, he holds the position of Director of Public Sector and an Assistant of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. In his academic career he has taught at the University of London, Brunel University, UCL, SOAS , Reading University, University of Wales TSD, Henley Business School and University of Warwick. He has taught executives from some of the world’s largest companies, including IBM, DHL and Inter-Continental Hotels.