CEO gender and audience responses
The role of gender stereotypes in organization sustainability communication
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22421953 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Sumin Shin (0000-0002-1774-1468, Oklahoma State University), Donghoon Shin (0000-0002-4345-8367, University of Wisconsin–Whitewater) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 31 |
| Issue | 7 |
| Pages | 17-38 |
| Publication date | 2026-12-14 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Corporate Communications: An International Journal (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1356-3289 • E-ISSN: 1758-6046 |
| Publisher | Emerald (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1108/ccij-07-2025-0201 |
| OpenAlex | W7151075265 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 50 |
Purpose The aim of this article is to examine how CEO gender influences audience responses to corporate sustainability communications by adjudicating between two competing theoretical perspectives. While general leadership stereotypes suggest male CEOs should receive more favorable social evaluations across contexts, domain-specific stereotypes linking feminine traits with prosocial and sustainability-related values suggest female CEOs might have advantages specifically in sustainability communication. The study aims to resolve which theoretical mechanism prevails and identifies subsequent stakeholder attitudes and behavioral intentions. Design/methodology/approach We conducted two between-subjects survey experiments utilizing AI-generated CEO personas that systematically manipulated CEO gender while holding all other observable characteristics constant. Participants watched identical sustainability communications delivered by either a male or a female CEO avatar and evaluated the CEO’s leadership quality and likability, the sustainability message, and their behavioral intentions to support the company. Findings Results supported the general leadership stereotype perspectives over the domain-specific advantage perspective across both studies. Male CEOs received significantly higher ratings on perceived leadership quality and likability compared to female CEOs delivering identical sustainability messages. These differences in perception systematically predicted more favorable attitudes toward the sustainability initiatives and stronger behavioral intentions to support the firm, including a willingness to work for the company. Originality/value Addressing a critical theoretical tension, this article adjudicates between competing perspectives on gender stereotypes in leadership, demonstrating that evaluative disadvantages for female leaders face persist even in domains where feminine traits might confer advantages. This establishes important boundary conditions (of lack thereof) for leadership categorization processes. Methodologically, our use of AI-generated CEO personas provides a novel approach for studying observable CEO characteristics while maintaining experimental control.
Categorization · Corporate social responsibility · Perception · Prosocial behavior · Stakeholder · Sustainability · AI in Service Interactions · Management and Organizational Studies · Persona Design and Applications
Cognitive Dissonance
An Empirical Examination of the Structural Antecedents of Attitude toward the Ad in an Advertising Pretesting Context
The Uncanny Valley [From the Field]
Gender diversity, board independence, environmental committee and greenhouse gas disclosure
The Persuasiveness of Source Credibility
A test of leadership categorization theory
Role congruity theory of prejudice toward female leaders.
Upper Echelons
The theory of planned behavior
How CEO Social Media Disclosure and Gender Affect Perceived CEO Attributes, Relationship Investment, and Engagement Intention
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Implementation
How Do Employees React When Their CEO Speaks Out? Intra- and Extra-Firm Implications of CEO Sociopolitical Activism
The Means and End of Greenwash
Understanding the Role of the Corporation in Sustainability Transitions
Assessing the Impact of CEO Activism
Warmth and Competence as Universal Dimensions of Social Perception
Social and Heuristic Approaches to Credibility Evaluation Online
Attitude–Behavior Relations
The Impact of Board Diversity and Gender Composition on Corporate Social Responsibility and Firm Reputation
Gender role (in-)congruity and resource-provider gender biases
Cool dudes
The effects of gender on climate change knowledge and concern in the American public
New Ways of Thinking about Environmentalism
Status incongruity and backlash effects
The Influence of Source Credibility on Communication Effectiveness
Are leader stereotypes masculine? A meta-analysis of three research paradigms
Gender and the evaluation of leaders
| Highly cited | No |
|---|