Challenging Women

This book offers a radical reassessment of organizational forces for change and barriers encountered by the 'challenging women' - senior women managers faced with the task of transforming their organizations. Much has been written about women at work, the 'glass ceiling' and discriminatory employment practices. This study is seminal in the linkage it makes between gender, innovation and organizational transformation. The book highlights the implications of this for all types of organizations and women managers everywhere.

This book offers a radical reassessment of organizational forces for change and barriers encountered by the 'challenging women' - senior women managers faced with the task of transforming their organizations. Much has been written about women at work, the 'glass ceiling' and discriminatory employment practices. This study is seminal in the linkage it makes between gender, innovation and organizational transformation. The book highlights the implications of this for all types of organizations and women managers everywhere.

Senior Research Fellow in the Manchester Institute for Innovation Research working on Locality Innovation Eco-systems (Place Based Innovation) and public leadership. She is also involved in MBS innovation knowledge exchange and part of the Mi OIR research group on public procurement.
On secondment to Whitehall as Director of the Whitehall Innovation Hub from 2007 to 2010, she is also Visiting Professor in knowledge exchange at the University of the West of England. Prior to MBS she was a senior manager in the NHS and director of CO-Work as social enterprise and was a television presenter in teh early 1980s.

Su came to MBS in 1996 to lead ESRC research on 'Conditions for Partnership', and she set up the North West Change Centre in 1998 with the support the research advisory group to bring researchers, public sector practitioners and policy-makers together to reflect on how to develop more innovative public services in the Northwest. The NWCC was pump-primed by the Vice Chancellor Sir Martin Harris to support the universities' knowledge exchange and business engagement activities in the region. Her critique of public sector reform 'Making Modernisation Work' [2002] was widely read by policy-makers in central government. Other publications based on her consultancy and research work include: Place Based Innovation [2010], Leading Innovation [2010] The Journey of a Creative Thought Leader [2007], Leadership in Local Government [2006]; Modernization requires transformational skills and a gender-balanced workforce [2001]; 'The Business Case for Diversity' [2002] and "Challenging Women: gender cultures, innovation and change" [1999].
Her analysis of gender-cultures provides a useful critique for those seeking to understand why women remain under-represented in leadership positions in the UK. An appreciation of connectivity and diversity underpins her work and her thinking.