Title: Influences on selecting executives: the case of gender and race in managerial decisions in Taiwan

Authors: Rosalie L. Tung; Henry F.L. Chung; Jyh-Bang Jou; Chris Rowley

Addresses: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada ' Massey Business School, Massey University Albany Campus, Private Bag 102 904, NSMC, Auckland 0745, New Zealand ' Graduate Institute of National Development, National Taiwan University, No. 1 Roosevelt Rd. Sec. 4, Taipei 106, Taiwan ' Kellogg College, University of Oxford 60-62 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 6PN, UK; Bayes Business School of the City, University of London, UK

Abstract: In the global war for talent, the importance of selecting the 'best' person irrespective of race and gender is often noted. In this paper, we examine attitudes towards gender and race in respect of who are seen as the 'best' candidates for executive positions. Taiwanese managers selected the 'best' candidate for the post of Director of a variety of multinational company (MNC) operations. We found the following. For the Taiwanese operations of a US MNC where the most managerially and technically qualified candidate was portrayed as an African-American female, she was ranked second, although first by respondents from middle and junior management positions. Where the most qualified candidate was portrayed as a white American female, she was ranked first. In contrast, for the Director of US operations of a Taiwanese MNC, the African-American female was ranked first. Some possible reasons for these findings and their implications are discussed.

Keywords: gender; managers; race; selection; Taiwan.

DOI: 10.1504/JIBED.2023.136752

Journal for International Business and Entrepreneurship Development, 2023 Vol.15 No.3, pp.329 - 354

Received: 30 Nov 2023
Accepted: 03 Dec 2023
Published online: 19 Feb 2024 *

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