Mirra Komarovsky Sex Roles Summary

In her paper titled “Functional analysis of sex role” (1949) Mirra Komarovsky, explained why sex roles presented so much mental and social conflict. Many of Komarovsky’s explanations for social dissent concentrated on the issues of time lag and the changing pattern regarding sex roles. Simply put, she identified how behavior, sociopolitical conditions and belief systems trailed behind changing sex-role conditions (as cited in Tarrant, 2005 p. 336). However, despite the changing of sex roles in society in the last few decades, the progress of women in leadership seems to have halted.

Contemporary US healthcare faces multiple challenges that require strong leadership in order to bring about the necessary changes that will address these challenges

292). Additionally, these surveys indicate that the difference between salaries, when adjusted for experience and education differences, show that male executives generally earn around 17-18 percent more than women in similar positions (Lantz, 2008, p. 292). While women are underrepresented in terms of national leadership, there is no empirical evidence that indicates that they lack qualifications or commitment (Dacre and Shepherd, 2010). A survey from 2002 suggests that there are numerous CEOs who feel that policies within the healthcare industry alienate, rather than develop potential leaders (Lantz, 2008). This is primarily attributed to not having sufficient financial resources to mentor future leaders, the failure of hospital boards to support leadership development and the failure of leaders to locate and develop potential leaders (Lantz, 2008, pp.295-296).

In regards to racial/ethnic diversity in healthcare management, literature indicates another disparity in representation. A survey taken in 2002 indicates that among members of ACHE and the National

These recommendations repeatedly stress the importance of effective mentoring. Additionally policy recommendations indicate that graduate educational programs, students’ fellowships and residencies should be strengthened and that future leaders should be given a voice, as well as provided with avenues that allow for social interaction between future leaders as well as with current healthcare leaders (Lantz, 2008, p. 298). Nevertheless, as Lantz points out, these recommendations also entail the drawbacks that many of them are "vague or tread lightly around gender issues (Lantz, 2008, p. 298). Additionally, some of the recommendations indicated within literature, such as some of those attributed to Weil and Mattis, include suggestions that reinforce the idea that women must made greater sacrifices than their male counterparts in order to obtain high-ranking leadership positions (Lantz, 2008, p. 299). A survey conducted by Catalyst in 2006 found that many women executives sacrificed by "not having children, returning to work immediately after childbirth, and limiting family or personal time" (Lantz, 2008, p.