Presumed incompetent: perceived lack of fit and gender bias in recruitment and selection

Heilman, Madeline E.; Manzi, Francesca; Braun, Susanne

doi:10.4337/9781782547709.00014

Cited by 42 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Communication and co-operation are generally assumed to be abilities with a feminine touch (Billing and Alvesson, 2000;Prime et al, 2009). It has been suggested that these abilities are more related to femininity and women, than to men (Prime et al, 2009;Heilman et al, 2015). Following this logic women are claimed to be emotional, sensitive and good at communication.…”

Section: Gendering the Expert Candidacy In The Job Advertisementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gendering expert work and ideal candidacy in Finnish and Estonian job advertisements

Jännäri

Poutanen

Kovalainen

2018

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Purpose This paper aims to analyse the ways the textual materials of job advertisements do the gendering for prospective expert positions and create a space for ambiquity/non-ambiquity in the gender labelling of this expertise. Expert positions are almost always openly announced and are important to organizations because they often lead to higher managerial positions. By gendering the prospective positions, the job advertisements bring forth repertoires strengthening the gendering of work and gendered expert employee positions. Design/methodology/approach This study draws on qualitative textual and visual data of open job advertisements for expert positions. The materials of the study are gathered from open job advertisements in two countries, i.e. Finland and Estonia with rather similar labour market structures in relation to gender positions but differing as regards their gender equality. Findings The analyses show that the gendering of expert work takes place in the job advertisements by rendering subtly gendered articulations, yet allowing for interpretative repertoires appear. The analysis reveals some differences in the formulations of the advertisements for expert jobs in the two countries. It also shows that in general the requirements for an ideal expert candidate are coated with superlatives that are gendered in rather stereotypical ways, and that the ideal candidates for highly expert jobs are extremely flexible and follows the ideal of an adaptable and plastic employee, willing to work their utmost. This paper contributes to the “doing gender” literature by adding an analysis of the textual gendering of ideal candidates for positions of expertise. Research limitations/implications The research materials do not expose all the issues pertinent to questions of the ideal gendered candidate. For instance, questions of ethnicity in relation to the definition of the ideal candidate cannot be studied with the data used for this study. Being an exploratory study, the results do not aim for generalizable results concerning job advertisements for expert positions. Originality/value This paper contributes to the “doing gender” and “gendering” literature by addressing the question of how and in what ways gender is defined and done for an expert positions prior the candidates are chosen to those jobs. It also offers new insights into the global construction of gendered expert jobs advertisements by addressing the topic with data from two countries. It further contributes to understanding the gendered shaping of expertise in the management literature.

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Section: Gendering the Expert Candidacy In The Job Advertisementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gendering expert work and ideal candidacy in Finnish and Estonian job advertisements

Jännäri

Poutanen

Kovalainen

2018

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“…Organizations are also gendered spaces which establish and reproduce gendered regimes which impact on recruiting and promotion policies for management positions (Hannappi-Egger, 2015). Heilman et al (2015) use the 'lack of fit' model to demonstrate how gender-based expectations result in different interpretations of the same behaviour and how stereotypes are reinforced. In many organizations, therefore, women continue to be treated less favourably than men (Eagly and Carli, 2007;Powell, 2012), are regarded as less competent (Heilman, 2001;Prime et al, 2008), are highly scrutinized in a way that does not apply to men (Eagly and Carli, 2007;Ryan and Haslam, 2005) and have to work harder than men (Mavin et al, 2015).…”

Section: Part Iv: Gendermentioning

confidence: 99%

Introduction to the Research Handbook of Diversity and Careers

Broadbridge¹,

Fielden²

2018

Research Handbook of Diversity and Careers

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Diversity is now a globally recognized concept in management studies (Özbilgin and Chanat, 2017). Examining diversity in organizations is about exploring hierarchical organized dichotomies, and when considering the diversity dimension of organizations we often find implicit assumptions about which categories are viewed as the norm and which are considered the opposite or other. Classical examples are the male norm and the female other (Bendl, 2005), or the perspective of the white majority as the norm and the black minority as the opposite (Holvino, 2008). Organization studies are not only dominated by the perspective of white middle-class heterosexual able-bodied men, but also by the perspective of Western organizations. This may suggest that research in organizations with an American or European descent or location is the basis for universal knowledge about organizations that can be applied all over the world, which of course is misguided. Social phenomena in organizations are often explored and explained from the perspective of these hegemonic groups (Hearn, 2004). To attain knowledge that incorporates the perspective of the whole organization, organization studies need to incorporate the empirical perspectives of marginalized groups. DEFINING DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE Managing Diversity initiatives seek to fully develop the potential of each employee and turn the different sets of skills that each employee brings into a business advantage. Through fostering the difference, team creativity, innovation and problem-solving can be enhanced. The focus is therefore, much more on the individual rather than the group. Having a diverse workforce not only enables organisations to understand and meet customer demand better, but also helps attract investors and clients, as well as reduce the costs associated with discrimination.

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“…This lack of stereotype fit or incongruence results in women being “presumed incompetent” in professional roles (Heilman, Block, & Lucas, 1992; Heilman, Manzi, & Braun, 2015), and in shifting standards in performance evaluation (Biernat & Fuegen, 2001). Women who display stereotypically male behavior such as assertiveness and self-promotion in a work environment may experience penalties and backlash (Rudman & Phelan, 2008).…”

Section: Mitigating Bias In Selection and Promotion Decisionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Engaging Gatekeepers, Optimizing Decision Making, and Mitigating Bias: Design Specifications for Systemic Diversity Interventions

Vinkenburg¹

2017

The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science

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In this contribution to the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science Special Issue on Understanding Diversity Dynamics in Systems: Social Equality as an Organization Change Issue, I develop and describe design specifications for systemic diversity interventions in upward mobility career systems, aimed at optimizing decision making through mitigating bias by engaging gatekeepers. These interventions address the paradox of meritocracy that underlies the surprising lack of diversity at the top of the career pyramid in these systems. I ground the design specifications in the limited empirical evidence on "what works" in systemic interventions. Specifically, I describe examples from interventions in academic settings, including a bias literacy program, participatory modeling, and participant observation. The design specifications, paired with inspirational examples of successful interventions, should assist diversity officers and consultants in designing and implementing interventions to promote the advancement to and representation of nondominant group members at the top of the organizational hierarchy.

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Presumed incompetent: perceived lack of fit and gender bias in recruitment and selection

Cited by 42 publications

References 37 publications

Gendering expert work and ideal candidacy in Finnish and Estonian job advertisements

Gendering expert work and ideal candidacy in Finnish and Estonian job advertisements

Introduction to the Research Handbook of Diversity and Careers

Engaging Gatekeepers, Optimizing Decision Making, and Mitigating Bias: Design Specifications for Systemic Diversity Interventions

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