Do Women Act as Effective Leaders? A Study of Female Leadership of Commercial Banks in the Colombo District, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Women in the leadership positions of the organisations is a significant area in the contemporary field of research. The follower’s perception of female leadership is also investigated by contemporary leadership and gender studies, considering traditional gender stereotypes and different leadership theories, concepts, and models. This quantitative study is designed to investigate the impact of the leadership role of women towards the followers’ perceived leader-effectiveness of the commercial banks in the Colombo district of Sri Lanka. Further, this study is intended to find whether the followers view their female leaders as effective leaders. Role theory of leadership, Social Network Analysis (SNA), and situational theory of leadership were associated in conceptualising, and it was tested whether the followers’ leader-role expectations, leader’s social networks, and leader’s situational roles significantly impact the followers’ perceived leader-effectiveness related to the female leaders. Using the questionnaire method, data was gathered from a hundred employees who are working under the female leaders of commercial banks in the Colombo district. Regression results revealed that the followers’ leader-role expectations and leader’s situational roles significantly impact the follower’s perceived leader-effectiveness. However, in this context, female leaders’ social networks do not determine the follower’s perceived leader-effectiveness. Overall, the workers who are working in the commercial banks of the Colombo district perceive their female leaders as effective leaders.

Keywords: Commercial Banks, Effectiveness, Female Leaders, Followers, Leadership