Doctoral Dissertations

Judy K. Miler

Date of Award

5-1990

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Human Ecology

Major Professor

Mary Fances Drake

Committee Members

Susan Becker, Jamie Branam, Imogene M. Ford, Eithel Simpson

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to identify and interpret the socio-cultural factors that contributed to the role of the department store managerial woman from 1870 to 1920. Specifically, the objectives are to identify and analyze the female individuals that held managerial leadership roles, and analyze the environmental factors that led to the rise and development of women in management at two major U.S. department stores, Macy's and Filene's. This study explores the socio-cultural factors from an open systems perspective at both the macro, external environmental level and the micro, internal environmental level. The macro level includes the cities of New York and Boston and the economic, political, techological and socio-cultural factors within the environment. The micro level includes Macy's and Filene's department stores, their organizational history, and the managerial women who worked for the stores. Documentary research was employed to identify and support the role of managerial women in the rise and development of the major department stores examined. Sources for this analysis include Macy's and Filene's records and papers, business school records, newspapers, government records, city directories, magazines, books, articles, and transcribed interviews. Evidence was found on twenty-five managerial women who worked at Macy's and Filene's. The department store was shown to play a major role in urban culture and society, and also woman's role in that society. Results indicated that the department stores examined were open system organizations. There is also evidence to indicate that the socio-cultural factors at both the macro and micro environmental levels contributed to the role of the managerial woman. Traditional female roles were reflected in about half of the job positions held by these women. The other half of the women were in merchandising and store supervisory positions. It is also evident that the stores provided these women with a new work alternative, where they rose through the ranks to become the forerunners of retail managerial women today.

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