Arena: A critical conceptual framework of top management selection

While the selection of top managers is vital to the performance and survival of organizations, the process by which these managers are selected remains uncharted territory. In this conceptual article, we propose that both structural conditions of and the selection process for top management positions are different from those at lower organizational levels. We build on the existing literature on succession, tournament models, and promotion systems to characterize top management selection. The main situational component of this characterization is that of relative versus absolute selection, which leads us to adopt the “arena” as a metaphor and critical framework for top management selection. Finally, we argue that due to certain cognitive features, the arena is an efficient but not necessarily effective selection process, which may contribute to side effects and negative outcomes for organizations. We conclude by setting the agenda for further research on top management selection.status: publishe

Gender, gender self-perceptions, and workplace leadership

Female leaders display at least equally effective behaviors as male leaders, but female leaders are still underrepresented in leadership positions. Furthermore, it is more difficult for female leaders than for male leaders to achieve positive leadership outcomes. Role congruity theory suggests that a perceived mismatch between feminine gender role and masculine leadership role can create role conflicts that may hinder women’s progression to leadership positions and may negatively affect the evaluation of women, who have achieved leadership positions. Research evidence suggests that role congruity theory can help explain gender differences in leadership emergence and leadership outcomes. Furthermore, role congruity theory can be meaningfully combined with concepts, such as double standards of competence as well as status incongruence. Further research is needed to determine the relative importance of social roles (i.e., gender role, leadership role) and individual attributes (i.e., categorical gender, gender selfperceptions) for the persistence of gender-inequality in the workplace. From a practical perspective, this implies that both organizational level (e.g., gender belief systems) and individual level (e.g., career advancement for women) need to be addressed simultaneously