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The Emergence of Male Leadership in Competitive Environments

Author

Listed:
  • Reuben, Ernesto

    (New York University, Abu Dhabi)

  • Rey-Biel, Pedro

    (ESADE)

  • Sapienza, Paola

    (Northwestern University)

  • Zingales, Luigi

    (University of Chicago)

Abstract

We present evidence from an experiment in which groups select a leader to compete against the leaders of other groups in a real-effort task that they have all performed in the past. We find that women are selected much less often as leaders than is suggested by their individual past performance. We study three potential explanations for the underrepresentation of women, namely, gender differences in overconfidence concerning past performance, in the willingness to exaggerate past performance to the group, and in the reaction to monetary incentives. We find that men’s overconfidence is the driving force behind the observed prevalence of male representation.

Suggested Citation

  • Reuben, Ernesto & Rey-Biel, Pedro & Sapienza, Paola & Zingales, Luigi, 2010. "The Emergence of Male Leadership in Competitive Environments," IZA Discussion Papers 5300, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp5300
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    overconfidence; discrimination; gender gap; glass ceiling; leadership;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior

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