The Impact of Power Distance between Gender Differences on Labor – Management Relations in Apparel Sector in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Increase in the women participation in the organizational management is the trend in the world. This is common in Sri Lanka also. In the present, there are many women are working in managerial positions. It can be a factor to change the power balance in an organization. Furthermore, by changing power balance in the organizations the organizational workers might be a factor to change the labour – management relations among the workers. However, there are no theoretical knowledge and empirical facts about these study phenomenons. Therefore, the problem of the study is: how do gender differences on power distance between the superior and subordinates determine the labour – management relations in the apparel industry in Sri Lanka. The main objective of the study is to find the impact of gender differences on different power relations between the superior and subordinates in determining the labour – management relations in the apparel industry in Sri Lanka. Using 120 pairs (120 superiors and 240 subordinates), primary data were collected. The data collection method is a structured questionnaire and it consisted of questions on power distance, gender differences and labour – management relationship. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire were measured by using test – retest method and Cronbach alpha. Univaraite and bivariate analyze were used to analysis the primary data. The main findings of the study are, the power distance between all kinds of superiors and subordinates in this sector remain at low a level and the labour – management relationship between superior and subordinates depended on the low power distance rather than the high power distance.