Sexy ensembles, skillful shoulder rubs and flirty e-mails are some of the tools of seduction that women may employ, but that behavior falls flat in the business world, according to a new study released at a conference in Honolulu.

Of the 164 female business school graduates who responded to a questionnaire from Tulane University researchers, those who acknowledged sexy behavior at work received lower pay and fewer promotions.

About half the women were in the "never" category. They generally brought home $75,000 to $100,000. The other half fell into the next-lowest bracket of $50,000 to $75,000.

"Does flirting lead to success? We think not. We actually think it would be detrimental to the career outcome," said Suzanne Chan-Serafin, a co-author and doctoral candidate in organizational behavior at Tulane University.

"Sex as a Tool at Work: Flirting to Success or Flirting with Disaster" was presented on Monday during the annual meeting of the Academy of Management, a gathering of thousands of scholars of management from around the world, held at the Hawai'i Convention Center.

The study presented 10 questions to respondents including: "I sent flirty or risque e-mails to male co-workers," "I purposely let men sneak a look down my shirt when I lean over a table" and "I wear a skirt or something more revealing than usual around clients or supervisors to get attention."

The women had a median age of 43 and were asked to answer how frequently they engaged in each behavior on a scale of one for "never" to seven for "always."

Chan-Serafin paralleled her study to the first season of the hit reality TV show "The Apprentice" in which the female competitors made ample use of their sexuality in competing for a $250,000-a-year job working for celebrity financier Donald Trump. In one episode, the female candidates addressed the challenge of selling tiny glasses of lemonade by throwing in their kisses as a bonus.

Both of that season's two finalists were male.

Past researchers have concluded that male and aggressive behaviors are what characterize success at work. Women who use sex as a tool are seen as more feminine, and thus become devalued, Chan-Serafin said.

Research shows "sexuality is really a short-term power source," she said.

Chan-Serafin noted that the unpublished study did not look at the context of the sexual behavior and does not conclude that men aren't also guilty of using their sex appeal to navigate in the workplace.

Also, the study found not that many women use their sexuality as tool and when they do, it is not that often, she said.

Using sex as a means to advance in the workplace is inappropriate, said Lauri Lee, 45, a business manager in Honolulu.

"But I think some people see it as a way of life," she said as other workers rushed around downtown during the lunch hour.

Sexuality in the workplace is almost inevitable when men and women are together, but sometimes it can simply be social interaction, she said.

You lose respect for someone who tries to use their sexuality in a manipulative way, said Neal Arita of Mililani, a manager at an air-conditioning business.

Such behavior can also make a woman more vulnerable, he said.

"I'm not sure if people take advantage of that. I think that would be sad if people did," he said.

According to the Tulane study, use of sexuality in the workplace was tied to low self-esteem and support of benevolent sexism — views of women that appear positive, such as they should be pampered, but that in practice keep women subservient.

An additional study is planned to look at whether women in a male-dominated office make more use of their sexuality when faced with being stereotyped as weak, Chan-Serafin said.