Debate continues on whether certain masculine and feminine traits are innate to both sexes and whether what seems to be masculine and feminine is socially learned or constructed. One way of looking at the issue of women in police management is to employ a cross-cultural perspective that assumes men and women live in two different worlds. Studies of male behavior in the group setting indicate that "pecking order" is important. Advantages of the pecking order analogy relate to goal-oriented group work, the statement of clear positions, and arguments sharpened by group interaction. Disadvantages concern rivalry, inflexibility, and lack of creativity. The "crab basket" analogy is used to characterize the group behavior of women. In this analogy, relations between individuals are seen as important, group hierarchy is not an issue, and there is a great deal of room for everyone's own way of experiencing things. Advantages of the crab basket analogy to police management focus on content variety, coexistence of personal differences, open communication, and creativity. Potential disadvantages involve ambiguous procedures, weak task orientations, and personal conflicts. A framework is described in which men and women can work together to improve police management.