Women leading the way in research
The University of Liverpool boasts a number of researchers who are leading the way in their sector and influencing national and global change with their work. To celebrate International Women’s Day we explore how research is changing perceptions of women in industry.
Two of the School’s Centre for Sports Business members, Prof Sue Bridgewater and Dr Sue Minten will be presenting at events to mark International Women's Day this year.
Dr Sue Minten, Senior Lecturer in Sport Management, will be presenting at the conference ‘Discrimination Against Women In Sport: How to continue narrowing the discrimination gap’ to be held at Deepdale Stadium, home of Preston North End FC., The conference commemorates 100 years of the Dick Kerr Ladies team, one of the earliest women's association football teams founded in 1917. With topics and discussion being inspired by their story of overcoming discrimination and adversity to become the world’s most famous women’s football team. Sue’s research explores the phenomenal success of women’s rounders in Burnley. Four years since a taster session offered by Burnley Leisure Trust to a handful of women, has grown to over 400 women regularly playing competitive rounders. The success of the Burnley rounders league has already been showcased in Sport England’s ‘This Girl Can Campaign’ and Sue’s presentation explores the reasons for the success and the lessons that can be learned.
Professor Sue Bridgewater was a panellist at the FIFA Conference for Equality and Inclusion 2017 in Zurich, on Monday 7th March. Sue focused on the broader debate on the benefits of diversity in organisations and what stands in the way of gender equality. Her presentation drew from the findings of her 2016 work with Women in Football which looked at the barriers to women in football and the steps which might be taken to both to ensure that more women reach senior levels in football. Data from football players, coaches, governing bodies, clubs, media to lawyers, medics and agents was used. Sue evaluated progress and looked at the way ahead based on the perceptions of women in football on how to level the playing field.
Dr Jannine Poletti-Hughes is lifting the glass ceiling for women in corporate environments. Her research explores gender diversity at board level, with a particular focus on Latin America. Jannine developed an interest on gender diversity on the board as a result of observing the cultural and institutional barriers that women face to ascend to high executive positions.
While most countries around the world have made significant progress towards gender equality in education, women still face more difficulties than men in pursuing their first job, receive a lower salary compared to men and are underrepresented in the business sector (OECD, 2012). Jannine’s research supports the argument that female presence on boards has a positive impact on its effectiveness, particularly from the supervisory role. Gender diversity on the board has a positive impact on board effectiveness, significantly improving corporate governance practices and corporate performance.
Jannine said: “I am hoping to increase the awareness of the benefits that a gender diverse board could bring to businesses and eventually impact in an increase of gender diversity in corporations. This implies a change of the cultural perspective of the male dominated corporate world in the Latin American region”.
Dr Jo Meehan is making waves in the procurement field, applying her knowledge of industry into her research to improve professional procurement practice. After working in various procurement roles for global organisations, Jo has been working on procurement research for over 10 years, initially focusing on public organisations, specifically social housing. This sector faces the dual challenge of improved commercial efficiencies, whilst securing sustainable social, economic and environmental outcomes. She had led projects with professional bodies and national purchasing consortia in the UK to look at how social housing and public sector organisations could adopt a more mature approach through applying findings from her research around sustainability, value and power. One of the national consortiums has implemented sustainability procurement policies as a direct result of the work Jo did with them, which impacts over 800 social housing organisations. The research has directly shaped procurement and operations strategies, policies and practice collectively reaching over 1000 organisations. Material financial impacts total over £11.5million. The work has shaped national and regional policy from government and sectoral bodies including the Fire and Rescue Service, Conwy County Borough Council, Northern Ireland Housing Executive, NHS, Procurement for Housing, and Re:allies.
Jo has more recently led a research project with the NHS, looking at the challenges in moving to value-based procurement. The work is attracting national and global attention and the project has recently been invited to join global knowledge network around healthcare policy on a £1.8milion project funded by the Canadian government which sees academics and policy bodies sharing data to provide evidence for change. Gaining a reputation in the field, Jo has been invited to chair the ‘NHS Procurement Conference: Securing a Healthy Balance Sheet’ in April, led by colleagues at the University of Salford, with policy makers, practitioners and procurement industry bodies in attendance.
Procurement, particularly in manufacturing and engineering sectors, has tended to attract people from a technical background who move into the role. Traditionally, these sectors were largely considered to be male-dominated but Jo suggests that the field, and particularly public procurement, is more balanced in terms of gender. She said: “There are some excellent female role models, many I have had the privilege to work with, and who have senior leadership positions in procurement. The procurement profession has moved on from the out-dated perceived attitude of ‘macho’ negotiations. Procurement in today’s business environment is driven by collaborative relationships, commercial acumen, social capital, trust, and taking responsibility for the economic, social and environmental consequences of procurement decisions”.