Title: Gender equality in non-profit organizations: Gävle International Red Cross

Level: Final assignment for Master Degree in Business Administration

Authors: Zhe Chen and Bijun Sun

Supervisors: Maria Fregidou-Malama and Pär Vilhelmson

Date: 2013-May

Aim: The study is to investigate the factors that influence gender equality in non-profit organizations. In order to find out the factors, we choose Gävle International Red Cross as the target organization to do the investigation.

Method: The study uses qualitative approach to collect the primary data and interview is the source of primary data. We interviewed seven members of Gävle International Red Cross. As for the secondary data, previous theories are the sources, and we also created a theoretical framework based on those theories. Furthermore, we combine the theories and empirical findings to present the discussion chapter. The orders of empirical findings and discussion follow the theoretical framework.

Results & Conclusions: After analyzing the data, we find out that organization, culture, management and government’s efforts are four factors having impacts on achieving gender equality in the target organization. Based on the primary and secondary data, there is no ranking for these four factors and all of them are important for the target organization to achieve gender equality.

Suggestions for future research: Qualitative approach is the only way to collect primary data, which is helpful for collecting different opinions from the participants. However, it will be more critical and objective for the study to use both qualitative and quantities approach at the same time. Since seven interviewees have participated, the numbers of the participants can be increased, in order to improve the reliability and validity into higher level.

Contribution of the thesis: We organize the theories we used and create a theoretical framework which is useful for connecting gender equality into non-profit organizations. This study can motivate managers to consider gender equality during managing their organizations.

Key words: Gender equality, management, non-profit organization, culture