When Gender Matters in Organizational Negotiations

Posted: 26 Jan 2022

Date Written: January 1, 2022

Abstract

A person's gender is not a reliable predictor of their negotiation behavior or outcomes, because the degree and character of gender dynamics in negotiation vary across situations. Systematic effects of gender on negotiation are best predicted by situational characteristics that cue gendered behavior or increase reliance on gendered standards for agreement. In this review, we illuminate two levers that heighten or constrain the potential for gender effects in organizational negotiations: (a) the salience and relevance of gender within the negotiating context and (b) the degree of ambiguity (i.e., lack of objective standards or information) with regard to what is negotiable, how to negotiate, or who the parties are as negotiators. In our summary, we review practical implications of this research for organizational leaders and individuals who are motivated to reduce gender-based inequities in negotiation outcomes. In conclusion, we suggest future directions for research on gender in organizational negotiations.

Suggested Citation

Bowles, Hannah Riley and Thomason, Bobbi and Macias-Alonso, Inmaculada, When Gender Matters in Organizational Negotiations (January 1, 2022). Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, Vol. 9, Issue 1, pp. 199-223, 2022, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4014964 or http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-012420-055523

Hannah Riley Bowles (Contact Author)

Harvard University ( email )

1875 Cambridge Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Bobbi Thomason

Pepperdine University ( email )

24255 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA 90263
United States

Inmaculada Macias-Alonso

Harvard University ( email )

1875 Cambridge Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

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