Female controllers

Project lead
Prof. Dr. Anne Müller-Osten

Project duration
May 2019 – February 2021

Gender research in Business Administration still constitutes a largely marginal part of academic discussions. While parts of Human Resources on gender studies or diversity or gender mainstreamingapproaches form a solid base in terms of information in the meantime, there are parts such as controlling that hardly have any academic findings. It is here that the project starts, to move forward with and support a foundation in terms of information as well as academic discussions. The project is guided by the works of Prof. Dr. Gertraude Krell and her approaches to gender research in Business Administration, distinguishing between that and Economics.

The project comprises the ascertainment of the design of the study, the collection of data and its evaluation, divided into six work packages between the HdBA and its institutional partner.

Using the presentation and analysis of female controllers in reference books and leadership positions in the form of publications, the intention is to progress the topic of gender research.

Letters of recommendation based on the evaluation of the findings are to go out to publishers of specialist magazines as well as to the authors of textbooks. A recommendation is also to be submitted to the BA Board on how to present rhetorics in the current role model for "controllers as counsellors of all those in leading positions" (female controllers, female counsellors). A network of female controllers is to be established, and workshops on the topics may be carried out. Results should find their way into university teaching. They should also be integrated into the research lab for experimental economics, and be utilised appropriately both internally and externally.

Alongside recommendations for the BA Board, Employer Services and the field of controlling/finances, networking and workshops should be established, to help place the topic across other projects and to raise awareness. Findings should also find their way into teaching and allow a change to gender-sensitive literature, raising awareness within the curriculum or for Bachelordissertations.