Research: Negative Experiences Shape Womens Decisions to Go for Executive Roles Written by Raina A. Brands and Isabel Fernandez-Mateo Thursday 16 March 2017 Share Share to LinkedIn Share to Facebook Share via email This paper shows differences in responses to recruitment rejections resulting in women’s low representation in management Like This paper proposes gender differences in responses to recruitment rejections as a previously unexamined mechanism contributing to women’s under-representation in top management. We show that women are less likely than men to consider another job with a prospective employer that has rejected them in the past. We build a theoretical model whereby, because of women’s minority status in senior roles, recruitment rejection triggers uncertainty about their general belonging in the executive domain. Belonging uncertainty, in turn, both leads women to place greater weight than men on fair treatment and negatively affects their perceptions of the fairness of the treatment they receive. This dual process makes women more disinclined than men to apply again to a previously rejecting firm. We test our theory with three studies: A field study using longitudinal archival data from an executive search firm, a survey of executives, and an experiment using executive respondents. The results, which are consistent with our model, have implications for theory and practice regarding gender inequality at the labor market’s upper echelons. In particular, we highlight that women’s supply-side decisions to “lean out” of competition for senior roles must be understood in light of their previous experiences with demand-side employers’ practices. Read the full story: Like this article? Why not share it. Share to LinkedIn Share to Facebook Share via email Topic: Monitoring your teams: why transparency is key CMI research found that a third of UK employers use tools to track employees’ activities online Read article Article Topic: Highlights – 8 October Poor performance, sneaky streamers and ill-equipped MPs. Plus, why your boardroom needs diverse thinking to be successful Read article Article Topic: Importance of diversity in the boardroom: enhancing personnel and thinking How diversity in people and thinking strengthens governance, fuels innovation and equips organisations to thrive Read article Article Topic: Five principles for AI-powered leadership With the expansion of AI set to revolutionise the way we work, how can managers adopt AI effectively? Read article Article Research Our cutting-edge research and statistics explain the latest trends and challenges faced by managers in the workplace today. Members See More CMI Members have access to thousands of online learning and CPD resources. Learn more about our membership benefits Join The Community CMI offers a variety of flexible membership solutions, tailored to your needs. Find out more and get involved in the CMI community today.