Decision-making in the recruitment of women on corporate boards : does gender matter?
- Authors: Bhardwaj, Sneh
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Vol. 41, no. 6 (2022), p. 813-830
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Purpose: The author provides an insider view of women directors' selections on corporate boards from the empirical setting of India and find if the recruitment practices in this space discriminate against women. Design/methodology/approach: The study collected data from a diverse cohort of 27 directors through semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed by applying an interpretative inductive approach and using the software NVivo's 12-plus version. Findings: The author’s findings show that board recruiters present different selection criteria and processes to women candidates depending upon heterogeneity among candidates' professional standing. Recruiters view women directors as a diverse cohort and value resourceful and experienced women when making recruitment decisions; these women directors are also found influencing directors' selection processes. Originality/value: The results question the underlying assumptions of prejudice against women as posited by the feminist and social identity theorists without accounting for the heterogeneity among women and situations. By proposing the female-gender stereotyping deactivation theory in top leadership matters, such as board selections, the author argues that stereotyping becomes irrelevant in the strategic decisions of board selections. This new theorisation about women's access to leadership roles will help the cause of women empowerment both at a cognitive and practical level. Future researchers can test the gender deactivation theory among women leaders in diverse cultural contexts by looking at the intra-cohort differences among women leaders. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.
- Authors: Bhardwaj, Sneh
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Vol. 41, no. 6 (2022), p. 813-830
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Purpose: The author provides an insider view of women directors' selections on corporate boards from the empirical setting of India and find if the recruitment practices in this space discriminate against women. Design/methodology/approach: The study collected data from a diverse cohort of 27 directors through semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed by applying an interpretative inductive approach and using the software NVivo's 12-plus version. Findings: The author’s findings show that board recruiters present different selection criteria and processes to women candidates depending upon heterogeneity among candidates' professional standing. Recruiters view women directors as a diverse cohort and value resourceful and experienced women when making recruitment decisions; these women directors are also found influencing directors' selection processes. Originality/value: The results question the underlying assumptions of prejudice against women as posited by the feminist and social identity theorists without accounting for the heterogeneity among women and situations. By proposing the female-gender stereotyping deactivation theory in top leadership matters, such as board selections, the author argues that stereotyping becomes irrelevant in the strategic decisions of board selections. This new theorisation about women's access to leadership roles will help the cause of women empowerment both at a cognitive and practical level. Future researchers can test the gender deactivation theory among women leaders in diverse cultural contexts by looking at the intra-cohort differences among women leaders. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.
Impacts of supportive HR practices and organisational climate on the attitudes of HR managers towards gender diversity – a mediated model approach
- Biswas, Kumar, Boyle, Brendan, Bhardwaj, Sneh
- Authors: Biswas, Kumar , Boyle, Brendan , Bhardwaj, Sneh
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Evidence-based HRM Vol. 9, no. 1 (2020), p. 18-33
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Purpose: Using the theoretical lens of the behavioural perspective on HRM, this study examined a mediated model to understand the extent to which organisational factors such as supportive human resource management policies and practices (SHRPP) and organisational climate (OC) can influence the affective attitudes of HR managers towards promoting women into organisational leadership roles. Survey data collected from 182 human resource managers in Bangladesh were analysed using partial least squares–based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) and the PROCESS macro to test mediating effects. The results reveal that the adoption of SHRPP is positively associated with OC, which in turn shapes the attitudes of HR managers leading to implementing unbiased promotional practices for organisational leadership roles. Design/methodology/approach: Quantitative survey data collected from 182 human resource managers in Bangladesh were analysed using PLS-SEM and PROCESS macro. Findings: The results reveal that the adoption of SHRPP is positively associated with OC which in turn shapes the attitudes of HR managers leading to implementing unbiased promotional practices for organisational leadership roles. Research limitations/implications: Self-report, cross-sectional survey data may contribute to the methodological bias such as common method bias (CMB). Harman's single-factor test revealed that no single component explained a major portion of the total variance. Furthermore, partial correlational analysis using a marker variable coupled with an assessment of social desirability indicates that common method variance is unlikely to have any CMB risks to the validity of the study results. Practical implications: From a practical point of view, the findings of this study suggest that supportive HR practices may create a positive organisational climate that leads to creating a healthy work environment ensuring an equal opportunity for everyone to grow and excel irrespective of their socio-cultural backgrounds and gender identity; thus, facilitating the organisation to take advantage of creativity and innovation offered by their talents, a critical factor for the organisation to survive and flourish in the dynamic market. Social implications: The study findings provide insights into why organisations should adopt fair and transparent HR policies to create a congenial work climate impacting on positive social attitudes towards acceptance of a gender-balanced empowered society. Originality/value: To the best of author's knowledge, this is the first study that examined a mediated model to understand how organisational factors such as SHRPP and OC can impact on the affective attitudes of HR managers towards promoting women in the organisational leadership roles. © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited.
- Authors: Biswas, Kumar , Boyle, Brendan , Bhardwaj, Sneh
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Evidence-based HRM Vol. 9, no. 1 (2020), p. 18-33
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Purpose: Using the theoretical lens of the behavioural perspective on HRM, this study examined a mediated model to understand the extent to which organisational factors such as supportive human resource management policies and practices (SHRPP) and organisational climate (OC) can influence the affective attitudes of HR managers towards promoting women into organisational leadership roles. Survey data collected from 182 human resource managers in Bangladesh were analysed using partial least squares–based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) and the PROCESS macro to test mediating effects. The results reveal that the adoption of SHRPP is positively associated with OC, which in turn shapes the attitudes of HR managers leading to implementing unbiased promotional practices for organisational leadership roles. Design/methodology/approach: Quantitative survey data collected from 182 human resource managers in Bangladesh were analysed using PLS-SEM and PROCESS macro. Findings: The results reveal that the adoption of SHRPP is positively associated with OC which in turn shapes the attitudes of HR managers leading to implementing unbiased promotional practices for organisational leadership roles. Research limitations/implications: Self-report, cross-sectional survey data may contribute to the methodological bias such as common method bias (CMB). Harman's single-factor test revealed that no single component explained a major portion of the total variance. Furthermore, partial correlational analysis using a marker variable coupled with an assessment of social desirability indicates that common method variance is unlikely to have any CMB risks to the validity of the study results. Practical implications: From a practical point of view, the findings of this study suggest that supportive HR practices may create a positive organisational climate that leads to creating a healthy work environment ensuring an equal opportunity for everyone to grow and excel irrespective of their socio-cultural backgrounds and gender identity; thus, facilitating the organisation to take advantage of creativity and innovation offered by their talents, a critical factor for the organisation to survive and flourish in the dynamic market. Social implications: The study findings provide insights into why organisations should adopt fair and transparent HR policies to create a congenial work climate impacting on positive social attitudes towards acceptance of a gender-balanced empowered society. Originality/value: To the best of author's knowledge, this is the first study that examined a mediated model to understand how organisational factors such as SHRPP and OC can impact on the affective attitudes of HR managers towards promoting women in the organisational leadership roles. © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited.
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