Discrimination from below: Experimental evidence from Ethiopia

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Ayalew, Shibiru; Manian, Shanthi; Sheth, Ketki
• 署名单位: Adama Science & Technology University; Washington State University; University of California System; University of California Merced
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0304-3878
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2021.102653
• 发表日期: 2021
• 关键词: gender; DISCRIMINATION; advice; Lab in the field; leadership

摘要

Globally, women are underrepresented in leadership positions. A potential explanation is that gender discrimination by subordinates reduces the effectiveness of female leadership. Using a lab-in-the-field experiment in Ethiopia, we test whether leader gender affects the way subjects respond to leadership. We find subjects are ten percent less likely to follow the same advice from a female leader than an otherwise identical male leader. Subjects also give lower evaluations to hypothetical female managerial candidates. However, we find that ability information reverses discrimination. When leaders are presented as highly trained and competent, subjects are more likely to follow advice from women than men. This pattern suggests that beliefs about men and women's ability (i.e., statistical discrimination) play an important role in driving this discriminatory behavior. Our results show that gender discrimination affects adherence to leadership, and signals of ability may be an important tool for gender equity policies aimed at increasing female representation.