Gender →
- 06 Mar 2019
- Sharpening Your Skills
Has the Glass Ceiling Been Broken (or at Least Cracked)?
Harvard Business School researchers have been at the forefront of studies on gender discrimination for several decades. As International Women's Day 2019 approaches, here is what they've discovered so far. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 25 Feb 2019
- Research & Ideas
How Gender Stereotypes Kill a Woman’s Self-Confidence
Researchers believe gender stereotypes hold women back in the workplace. Katherine Coffman's research adds a new twist: They can even cause women to question their own abilities. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 11 Feb 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
Gender Stereotypes in Deliberation and Team Decisions
Professional success requires the ability to contribute ideas, and receive credit for them. This paper explores gender differences in how men and women communicate and reward each other in team decision-making problems. We find that women are recognized less often for their contributions in male-typed domains.
- 05 Feb 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
Stereotypes and Belief Updating
Increasing evidence demonstrates that stereotyped beliefs drive key economic decisions. This paper shows the significant role of self-stereotyping in predicting beliefs about one’s own ability. Stereotypes do not just affect beliefs about ability when information is scarce. In fact, stereotypes color the way information is incorporated into beliefs, perpetuating initial biases.
- 17 Dec 2018
- Research & Ideas
Women Receive Harsher Punishment at Work Than Men
Women caught in misconduct were 20 percent more likely to be fired and 30 percent less likely to find new employment in the financial services industry, reports new research by Mark Egan and colleagues. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 08 Nov 2018
- Working Paper Summaries
When Harry Fired Sally: The Double Standard in Punishing Misconduct
Despite committing misconduct less often and less severely than men, female advisers in the financial adviser industry face more severe punishment in the labor market, a finding strongly correlated with the gender composition of the managerial team. A similar punishment gap and mitigating factors affect ethnic minority men.
- 03 Oct 2018
- What Do You Think?
How Should Managers Deal with the Challenges of Building an Inclusive Workplace?
SUMMING UP Few doubt the benefits of a diverse workplace. James Heskett's readers offer insights on the most effective management approaches to inclusion. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 17 Sep 2018
- Working Paper Summaries
The Impact of Penalties for Wrong Answers on the Gender Gap in Test Scores
Multiple-choice questions on standardized tests are widely seen as objective measures of student ability, but the common practice of assessing penalties for wrong answers may generate gender bias. This study documents the impact of a policy change that removed penalties for wrong answers on the national college entry exam in Chile. This simple change reduced the gender gap in test performance by 9 percent.
- 10 Sep 2018
- Research & Ideas
Celebrating 'The Men and Women of the Corporation' 40 Years Later
Rosabeth Moss Kanter’s Men and Women of the Corporation inspired and informed a generation of scholars studying gender, status, and power. Robin J. Ely interviews Kanter about her groundbreaking research and why it remains relevant today. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 13 Aug 2018
- Research & Ideas
Women Heart Patients Have Better Survival Odds with Women Doctors
Roughly one in 66 women has a better chance of leaving the hospital alive if their doctor is also a woman, according to research by Laura Huang and colleagues. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 16 Jul 2018
- Research & Ideas
Kids of Working Moms Grow into Happy Adults
In earlier research, Kathleen McGinn and colleagues discovered that adult kids of working moms are high achievers at work. Now it turns out they are happy, too. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 23 Apr 2018
- Research & Ideas
Sponsorship Programs Could Actually Widen the Gender Gap
Companies increasingly provide sponsors to help women get ahead. But certain aspects of sponsorship programs can hinder women instead, according to experimental research by Nancy R. Baldiga and Katherine B. Coffman. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 11 Apr 2018
- Research & Ideas
Sexual Harassment: What Employers Should Do Now
Organizations are realizing they are not doing enough to stop the inappropriate behavior that can lead to an awkward office environment, lawsuits, and reputation damage. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 01 Feb 2018
- Cold Call Podcast
Black Business Leaders Series: Oprah’s Path to Authentic Leadership
Bill George traces Oprah Winfrey's growth from childhood, focusing on how and when she discovered her true voice and how that authenticity spurred her career success. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 22 Jan 2018
- Working Paper Summaries
When Gender Discrimination Is Not About Gender
Gender discrimination in a typically male workplace is not necessarily driven by misogyny. Rather, employers are less willing to hire applicants associated with a lower performing group-even if that group is defined by a demographic characteristic other than gender.
- 03 Jan 2018
- What Do You Think?
In the Wake of #MeToo, Should Corporate Boards Hire Compliance Officers?
SUMMING UP—How can boards end sexual harassment in their organizations? James Heskett's readers propose remedies including this good first step: Put more women in leadership roles. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 15 Nov 2017
- Research & Ideas
How Does a Social Startup Decide to Commercialize? It May Depend on the Founder's Gender
How does the founder of a social venture decide to create a "hybrid" business rather than a traditional nonprofit organization? The decision has a lot to do with the founder’s gender, according to new research by Stefan Dimitriadis, Matthew Lee, Lakshmi Ramarajan, and Julie Battilana. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 31 Oct 2017
- Op-Ed
Op-Ed: In Tackling #MeToo, Don’t Ignore Micro-Insults That Harm Women’s Careers
The #MeToo movement is giving women power to speak out against sexual harassment, but Rosabeth Moss Kanter worries about less visible, but still harmful, "micro-insults" that undermine careers of women. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 09 Oct 2017
- Working Paper Summaries
Marry Rich, Poor Girl: Investigating the Effects of Sex Selection on Intrahousehold Outcomes in India
This study examines the unintended consequences in India of sex selection technology on the marriage market and the bargaining power of surviving women. It finds women in regions exposed to ultrasound face poorer matches and outcomes in marriage.
Calculators for Women: When Identity Appeals Provoke Backlash
With calculators targeted to women and laundry products aimed at men, examples of identity-based labeling—or “identity appeals”—abound in advertising and marketing. Five studies show when and why such identity appeals backfire. Identity appeals may fail equally whether they evoke negative or just milder stereotypes.