Mm. Snyder et al., PERSONNEL PRACTICES IN CAREERS OF WOMEN AT THE TOP IN GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS IN NICARAGUA AND COSTA-RICA, Public administration and development, 15(4), 1995, pp. 397-416
This article, which is the first empirical study of upper-level female
managers in Central America, extends the exploration of similarities
and differences between public and private sectors in human resource m
anagement to the context of developing countries. A comparison of work
hours, recruitment and selection practices, mentoring, political pres
sure, gender discrimination and sexual harassment, reported by female
managers in public and private organizations in Nicaragua and Costa Ri
ca, yielded no sector-based differences and few country-based differen
ces. We conclude, therefore, that the public sector is not a more supp
ortive or more fair employer for women in management than the private
sector in these two countries, contrary to the assumption in the women
-in-management literature that the public sector is a more hospitable
environment. Improvements in human resources practices are appropriate
in both sectors.