Champions of Change: Why do some CEOs champion gender diversity?

Abstract

Many organisations invest resources in increasing gender diversity but miss out on its potential benefits, partly because of lack of CEO commitment to gender diversity as a top strategic priority. In this paper we draw on diversity management and organisational change theories to explain why male leaders are important to the advancement of gender equity in leadership and to understand the factors that incentivise influential leaders to join male coalitions for gender equity change. We present a model of who is likely to join coalitions for gender equity and the practical implications of member mix for the sustainability of the group. This knowledge is important for gender equity in leadershi..