eThesis - School of Business electronic theses

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The thesis reviews the concept of friendship and contributes to discussion on gender and equality in business organizations by addressing friendship as a gendered concept that plays a part in maintaining gendered hierarchies in organizations. By drawing on social psychology, sociology and philosophy, a greater, more inclusive understanding of the concept of friendship is gained to include investigating the whole phenomenon of friendship from negative acts and exclusion to the marking of social boundary as well as to understanding friendship as a gendered concept that makes masculine, contextual friendships invisible in the organizational setting. It is concluded that to the extent that gender is a meaningful category to a person or other people, it will continue to be a significant dimension of similarity in structuring friendships in organizations, yet the category around which contextual, masculine, friendships are formed around in organizations is not necessarily dependent on gender. It is suggested that contextual, inclusive friendships should be encouraged to be formed around membership to a given organization or department instead of gender category.