Chapter 5: Women’s Leadership in Finland: The Meaning of Motherhood as Related to Leadership for Women Managers

According to The Global Gender Gap Report (2013), Finland ranks second among 136 countries in gender equality in terms of education, health, and well-being, but not in economic decision-making. Gender equality in Finland is a societal goal and is regarded as a way to combine the expertise of both women and men to the benefit of the whole society (Katila & Eriksson, 2013). Finnish society has formally adopted an egalitarian employment mode as its ideal, but in practice men continue to have greater access to positions with power, social prestige, higher rewards, and greater resources (Lehto, 2009). Masculinity is still valued in the top echelons of organizations (Tienari, Vaara, & Meriläinen, 2010), whereas such feminine characteristics as nurturing, supportiveness, and helpfulness are not considered appropriate for managers (Katila & Eriksson, 2013).