Gender stereotypes’ impacts on organizations and women managers’ performance

Abstract

The aim of this literature review is to provide a clear definition of the concept of gender stereotyping and to explore the impact of gender-role stereotypes on an organisation’s decisions such as selection and evaluation, as well as on women managers’ performance. This review of the literature indicates that there is general agreement that the gender-role stereotype continues to be a key barrier to, and is responsible for the slower progress of, women’s presence in high management positions. Gender stereotypes are consistent across cultures and time; however, there is some degree of variation across the world which confirms that gender stereotypes are structured by limited cognitive and social systems which may change over time. Adequate evidence supports the fact that that gender-role stereotyping has a negative effect on women’s managerial performance such as in their negotiation and decision-making performance. In addition, gender stereotypes also negatively influence organisational decisions such as selection and evaluation in a way which constrains women from progressing to higher levels of managerial achievement.