Cultural tightness 'may prevent emergence of women leaders'

Washington, Mar 9 (ANI): Countries that more strictly uphold their cultural norms are less likely to promote women as leaders unless those norms support equal opportunity for both sexes, a new study has claimed.

According to Soo Min Toh, co-author of the paper from the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, cultural tightness is the "degree to which norms are clear and pervasive."

"Cultural tightness can prevent the emergence of women leaders because tighter cultures may make a society's people more resistant to changing the traditionally-held practice that placed men in leadership roles," Toh said.

Tight cultures have a lower tolerance for deviation from cultural norms and may even impose sanctions for doing so. Loose cultures tend to be more open to change and experience higher rates of change than tight cultures.

Among 32 countries compared, New Zealand, Ukraine and Hungary - all culturally loose countries-showed a high rate of female leadership, while Pakistan, South Korea, and Turkey - considered culturally tight-were low.

"But when it comes to the emergence of women leaders, cultural tightness can have an advantage too. Cultural tightness may also be a helpful instrument because in societies where men and women are treated equally, tightness could more strongly implement and sustain practices that encourage the emergence of women leaders," Geoffrey Leonardelli, stucy co-author, said.

Researchers used an academically-compiled index of countries' cultural tightness and a separate index on their treatment of gender equality, and World Bank statistics on the percentage of leadership positions filled by women, such as legislators, senior officials and managers.

The study shows that cultural tightness is a double-edged sword. Support for female leadership is dependent on what a society's cultural practices are and how strictly it sticks to them.

The study will be published in the Journal of World Business. (ANI)

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