A Study of Gender Roles in Public Relations Practice in Ghana

Abstract

This study examined gender influence on role performance in PR departments in the Ghana Commercial Bank, the Electoral Commission and the University of Ghana. The study was undertaken within the framework of the social role theory. A combination of qualitative in-depth interviews and observation was employed to gather data using Frederick‟s nine-item list of activities and Alimo-Metcalfe‟s four-item list of leadership styles. The study found that male and female managers appeared to be performing similar activities although male and female technicians differed in the activities they performed. It concludes that male and female technicians performed roles based on their gender due to social expectations and female traits were the preferred traits for leadership positions. The study thus recommends further research to investigate how masculine and feminine traits affect promotion and job satisfaction to enrich the literature on the topic.