María del Carmen Triana, Orlando Richard, Seo-Young Byun, Kendall Park, Dora Delgado and Jorge Delgado
The present study examines head of state gender and national collectivism to explain how some leaders have been able to manage a pandemic better than others.
Abstract
Purpose
The present study examines head of state gender and national collectivism to explain how some leaders have been able to manage a pandemic better than others.
Design/methodology/approach
We measure pandemic deaths per million using objective numbers for each country. Country collectivism is measured using the GLOBE study. Qualitative analyses of world leader speeches are used to examine how health-focused leaders’ language is. Media attention with sentiment analysis about each leader’s handling of the pandemic is also used to show how others reacted to leaders.
Findings
Countries with female leaders showed fewer pandemic deaths than those led by male leaders. The interaction between leader gender and country collectivism predicted death. Media sentiment was more favorable for women leaders than men leaders.
Practical implications
During times of crises, women’s more careful tendencies keep their constituents safer than their male counterparts. Country collectivism also aids male leaders in keeping constituents safe.
Social implications
The present study helps unpack when women leaders thrive and outperform their male counterparts. This furthers United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5: gender equality.
Originality/value
The study examines leader gender and national collectivism to predict pandemic deaths.
Details
Keywords
Gabriela Flores, M. Fernanda Garcia, Hazel Nguyen, María del Carmen Triana and Christine Choirat
This study investigates the relationship between child gender and a CEO’s top management hiring decisions.
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the relationship between child gender and a CEO’s top management hiring decisions.
Design/methodology/approach
Hypotheses were tested using secondary data on 121 S&P 500 male CEOs, their children, and their top management teams.
Findings
Results indicate that child gender is associated with a male CEO’s TMT hiring decisions. Specifically, we find that male CEOs with only daughters were significantly more likely to hire women to their TMTs than male CEOs with only sons and those with both sons and daughters.
Practical implications
This study provides evidence for the roles of familiarity, learning, and empathy in reducing gender biases in selection decisions. Top management hiring decisions have wide implications for organizational settings in general and for the breaking of the glass ceiling in particular.
Social implications
Reducing gender bias in top manager hiring decisions directly relates to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 5 of achieving gender equality as women are consistently under-represented at the top of organizations across the world.
Originality/value
By focusing on the hiring of top managers, this study includes hiring decisions that directly impact firm operations. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the relationship between child gender and executive hiring decisions with a US S&P 500 sample.