Investigating Gender Discrepancies in Leadership Roles and Communication Strategies in Malaysian Public Relations Industry

Lim, Teng Teng (2023) Investigating Gender Discrepancies in Leadership Roles and Communication Strategies in Malaysian Public Relations Industry. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

Text Lim Teng Teng Full Text RPR 202309.pdf Restricted to Registered users only Download (1MB)

Abstract

In the public relations (PR) industry of Malaysia, a distinct gap is observed between the number of women and men in leadership positions, and in their communication styles. The purpose of this study was to determine the main reasons for this difference. Several findings were drawn from interviews with industry professionals by observing the leadership structure and communication styles of PR firms in Malaysia. Although women constitute a large portion of the PR workplace, they are less often seen in leadership roles. The challenges of balancing work with home responsibilities and implicit biases are identified as possible causes to these disparities. Additionally, there are differences in communication styles between men and women, with women generally being more cooperative and empathetic, but men being more direct and assertive. Therefore, based on the findings of this study, relevant authorities must take action, such as mentoring programs or revising company policies to support more equal representation and maximize the use of various communication skills in order to create a more inclusive and equal Malaysian PR industry. Keywords: Gender disparities, Leadership roles, Communication styles, Malaysian PR industry, Gendered Traits