WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP AND GENDER INEQUALITY IN BUSINESS: GLOBAL AND LOCAL TRENDS AMID UNCERTAINTIES

Abstract

The main objective of this work is to identify different factors and indicators that affect gender inequality and allows us to compare female leadership in the main commercial cities of the world from a global perspective, and the city of Monteria, capital of the department of Cordoba, from a local perspective. The problem in the subject addressed is justified because the business environment continues to fail women, in terms of unequal job opportunities, discrimination, harassment, wages and often little spirit of solidarity with them. These are some of the points of coincidence of international reports such as Bloomberg Businessweek, UN Women, or the follow-up to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially goal 5 which explicitly refers to gender equality. The research presents a qualitative, descriptive approach. It is based on updated documents such as texts and articles related to the aforementioned topic. The position in small and medium companies in the city of Monteria has been consulted, with reference to gender inequality in managerial positions. In the interpretation of the results of female participation in management positions in a follow-up of companies, it was found that between 2010 and 2015, 68% of managers were men and 32% were women in the SMEs of Monteria; in 2021 practically 58% are male managers, while 42% are female managers, showing a gradual increase in the participation of this gender in the SMEs of the city. Throughout history women have been seen in a passive role that society itself has imposed on them, but we have already seen how women have been leaders, have been great entrepreneurs, without leaving the role of being mother, wife and daughter.