U. of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business, United States
Prior literature has extensively documented gender differences in risk attitudes, competitiveness, and some social preferences. However, little is known about the psychological mechanism underlying how the gender of supply chain agents making decisions on behalf of firms in the supply chain affects collaborative behavior. Individuals are known to behave differently based on their personality inferences about other people. We disentangle precisely why gender affects supply chain collaboration. A behavioral experiment using professional supply chain managers manipulates gender pairings of retailers making decisions partnered with suppliers. Both genders are more collaborative with female partners because they trust their female partners more and perceive greater interpersonal justice. However, males are more collaborative with male partners because of greater trustworthiness in ability. We are the first to try to understand the rationale for why individuals exhibit different collaborative behaviors toward women and men in a supply chain context. The results inform practitioners that seek to expand their pool of available talent by targeting people that may have been previously underrepresented. The insights help by providing guidance on assigning the right person to the right supply chain role. Assigning more women in the supply chain does not just satisfy diversity requirements, it also benefits firms in the supply chain.