Gender typing in stereotypes and evaluations of actual managers

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to examine gender-related management stereotypes, perceived gender bias and evaluations of actual managers, and to directly compare stereotypes and ratings of actual managers. Design/methodology/approach -Questionnaires were distributed to employees in the bank and insurance sector, and 240 participants rated their actual managers and stereotypes of male and female managers. Findings -Men evaluated the female manager stereotype more positively on communal attributes, and the male manager stereotype more positively on agentic attributes. Women evaluated the female manager stereotype more positively on both communal and agentic attributes, but perceived a higher degree of gender bias in favor of male managers than men did. Actual male and female managers were rated similarly. Still, ratings of actual male managers corresponded more with stereotypes of male than female managers, and ratings of actual female managers corresponded more with stereotypes of female than male managers. Research limitations/implications -Future research needs to determine the direction of association between stereotypes and evaluations of actual managers, and the relative importance of agentic over communal attributes. Practical implications -While women appeared biased in favor of their own gender, men may underestimate the difficulties that female managers encounter. Managers and human resource practitioners should notice these different views, and recognize that gender equality is not achieved in Sweden.Originality/value -The present study contributes with data from an egalitarian society with a positive view of female managers, and a direct comparison of stereotypes and workplace evaluations.

Diversity in Unity: Perspectives from Psychology and Behavioral Sciences

“…Apparently, there is no difference between males and females in the construction of positive identity as a leader in the current data set. Although it is surprising, this result is consistent with other studies that report these stereotypes as having decreased over time (Gartzia & Baniandrés, 2015;Li Kusterer et al, 2013;. The current results are also consistent with Grant Thornton's research that shows that 36% of senior managers in Indonesia are women, and the reasons many women advance themselves as leaders are their willingness to make a difference (47%) and to influence others (32%) (Priherdityo, 2016).…”

Gender‐typing of leadership: Evaluations of real and ideal managers

“…In contradiction to Hypothesis 2, we also found that male‐typing of successful managers is stronger for female participants compared to male participants across all conditions. This finding is contrary to research that has found a diminished gender‐typing of managerial roles among women (Booysen & Nkomo, ; Brenner et al ., ; Deal & Stevenson, ; Duehr & Bono, ; Kusterer et al ., ; Schein, ; Sczesny, ), and it suggests that the gender advancements achieved in some countries have not yet been reached in Spain.…”

“…A closer analysis revealed that several individual studies (Booysen & Nkomo, ; Brenner, Tomkiewicz & Schein, ; Deal & Stevenson, ; Duehr & Bono, ; Kusterer, Lindholm & Montgomery, ; Schein, ; Sczesny, ) found diminished gender‐typing of managerial roles among women. Cross‐cultural studies (Schein & Mueller, ; Schein et al ., ; Sczesny et al ., ) have shown a similar pattern of gender‐typing for the managerial position among male participants, but a different pattern among female participants.…”

“…To our knowledge, the only study that directly examines whether stereotypes and workplace evaluations are associated was conducted by Kusterer et al . () in Sweden. The results confirmed a link between stereotypes and evaluations of existing managers.…”

“…Kusterer et al . 's () study also found that women appeared biased in favor of their own gender. Jackson, Engstrom, and Emmers‐Sommer () found same‐gender bias in both men and women who had to determine the leader of a group.…”