Whether to Apply

Katherine B. Coffman (), Manuela R. Collis () and Leena Kulkarni ()
Additional contact information
Katherine B. Coffman: Harvard Business School, Boston, Massachusetts 02163
Manuela R. Collis: Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E6, Canada
Leena Kulkarni: Array Technology Group LLC, New York, New York 10022

Management Science, 2024, vol. 70, issue 7, 4649-4669

Abstract: Labor market outcomes depend, in part, upon an individual’s willingness to put him- or herself forward for different opportunities. We use a series of experiments to explore gender differences in willingness to apply for higher-return, more challenging work. We find that, in male-typed domains, qualified women are significantly less likely to apply than similarly well-qualified men. We provide evidence both in a controlled setting and in the field that reducing ambiguity surrounding required qualifications increases the rate at which qualified women apply. The effects are mixed for men. Our results point to a way to increase the pool of qualified women applicants.

Keywords: gender; economics; behavior; behavioral decision making; organizations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:70:y:2024:i:7:p:4649-4669

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