ABSTRACT
PurposeThe aim of this paper is to provide empirical evidence of discrepancies in certain management-related business factors in complex situations from a gender perspective.Design/methodology/approachThe study examined whether there are any differences in the characteristics of Spanish companies run by men and women and how male and female chief executive officers (CEOs) perceive critical situations such as the COVD-19 pandemic. To answer the research questions, the survey carried out by the Ibero-American Observatory of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (FAEDPYME) in 2021 was used. The final sample consisted of a total of 1,532 small and medium-sized enterprises.FindingsThe main results show that female CEOs are more likely to have a university education than male CEOs, but they run smaller companies in Spain. On the other hand, they are more risk averse and evaluate the impact of complex and risky situations more negatively.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings open up new research questions. This is a cross-sector study, but are there differences in behaviour between sectors? The view of the crisis is negative, but which types of companies have been strengthened?, finally, do other countries have similar results?Originality/valueThe originality and value of this document lies in the fact that it makes an interesting contribution to the open debate on the management of complex situations from a gender perspective.