Abstract

There is no doubt today that the gender composition of persons in leadership positions to a large extent predetermines the possibility of making gender-balanced decisions, which ultimately contributes to the achievement of more effective socio-economic results of society.

Despite the long-standing aspiration for gender equality and the continuous increase in the role and participation of women in economic life, despite the undoubted improvement in the legal status of women, real gender equality is far from the stated goals.

This study aims to examine the representation of men and women in leadership positions in leading economic, political and scientific organizations in Europe.

The results of the study include the representation of men and women in the European Parliament and National Parliaments of European countries, in the decision-making bodies of the National Academies of Sciences and research funding organizations, as well as in European financial institutions such as the European Central Bank, the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund.

Our research confirmed that even though management is gendered and women are increasingly in senior positions, men still dominate management. This is evident at all levels of leadership and high-paying positions and in all areas of decision-making: politics, public administration, business, education, science, sports, etc. and today there is still a significant gap in the representation of men and women in decision-making ability and/or influence decisions.

Keywords: Gender, Management, Economic development