Decisions under time pressure: Gender differences in the leadership decision making under time pressure

Abstract

Purpose. The paper seeks to investigate the impact of managers’ gender on the characteristics of decision making process in the situation of time pressure. Methods. The analysis of literature revealed that the issue of decision-making by leaders in the situation of time pressure remains unexplored, although it is highly relevant to the current business reality. Moreover, the concepts of “sex” and“gender” are not differentiated in the most studies that affects on the results of such studies. Therefore, it was decided to explore the features of decision making process by leaders in situation of time pressure depending on their level of masculinity/feminity/androgyny. To assess leader’s decisions the experimental method was employed and the specific case was designed. The sample included 84 managers from the different professional fields. Findings. The results demonstrated that in a situation of lack of time the leaders of different gender make decisions in different ways. It underlines the impossibility of a direct transfer of sex differences in the study of leaders from the perspective of social gender once again. Feminine leaders are less affected by situations of time pressure and make more complex solutions, while androgynous and masculine leaders make less complex solutions. Research implications for practice. The suggested methodological tools could be relevant to the training processof low-experienced managers in decision-making in non-standard situations, as well as evaluation of managers at all management levels.