Challenging Assumptions About What Works to Improve Organizational Gender Diversity

Abstract

Despite decades of scholarship, major investments, policy changes, and the tireless efforts of practitioners, achieving greater gender diversity is still on the to-do list of many organizations. Although the causes of gender inequality have been understood for some time (e.g., gender stereotypes and prejudice, masculine work norms; Eagly & Karau, 2002; Ibarra, Ely, & Kolb, 2013; Kanter, 1977), many current practices used by organizations (e.g., bias trainings, grievance procedures) have proven insufficient to produce meaningful change. As a result, women are still excluded from many professions and high-status roles within them. This symposium offers four new perspectives on improving gender diversity, introducing new theory and challenging our assumptions about: (1) how wise interventions can offset gender disparities; (2) the consequences of experiencing chronic concerns about confirming negative gender stereotypes on women’s collective action efforts; (3) which formal mentorship programs are most effective at increasing diversity; and (4) the role of chauvinistic supervisors in perpetuating sexist thinking. Together these talks provide managers with new tools to address gender inequality and encourage them to more wisely use the ones they already have. Wise Interventions as a Starting Point for Bringing About Gender Equity in the MBA Classroom Presenter: Jennifer Kim; U. de los Andes, Colombia Presenter: Joel Brockner; Columbia U. Presenter: Caryn J. Block; Teachers College, Columbia U. Stereotype Threat’s Silver Lining: Predicting Women’s Support for Gender Balance Presenter: Clarissa Cortland; UCL School of Management Presenter: Zoe Kinias; INSEAD Mentoring Programs that Work Presenter: Alexandra Kalev; Tel Aviv U. Presenter: Gal Deutsch; Tel Aviv U. Presenter: Frank Dobbin; Harvard U. Presenter: Kwan Woo Kim; Harvard U. Prototype Alignment: A Method for Reducing the Influence of Chauvinistic Leaders Presenter: Felix Danbold; UCL School of Management Presenter: Corinne Bendersky; U. of California, Los Angeles