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“Understanding the effects of race on leadership perceptions is important, in part, because the U.S. workforce is
increasingly racially diverse, and organizations are realizing that the inclusion of racial minorities constitutes a competitive
advantage in a global market,” according to the researchers. “However, racial minorities are often perceived to be less
suitable for management positions in the United States, as evidenced by a persistent glass ceiling for these groups, lower
managerial promotion ratings, lower job suitability ratings, and individuals’ attributions of success and failure.”
Asian Americans represent approximately 5 percent of the U.S. population and are projected to account for 9 percent of the
population by 2050. However, they account for only .3 percent of corporate officers, less than 1 percent of corporate board
members and about 2 percent of college presidents, despite their higher representation in business and professional
occupations.
This study is the first on Asian Americans and perceptions of leadership, and may explain why fewer Asian Americans
advance to senior positions of leadership than their education, experience and competence would suggest, Sy said.
“We’ve been taught that if you have greater education, skill and experience you will succeed,” Sy said. “That falls apart
when it comes to Asian Americans.”
The researchers sampled three groups of individuals – 131 business undergraduates from a large business school on
the West Coast, and one group of 362 employees and another of 381 employees in the Los Angeles region – and asked
them to evaluate an employee. In one experiment participants received identical information about the employee’s
expertise as an engineer or salesperson, but some were told the employee was Asian American and others that he was
Caucasian American. In a similar experiment, participants assessed the employee’s leadership attributes.
Study participants perceived Asian American engineers as more technically competent than Caucasian American
engineers, and Asian American salespersons as less capable than Caucasian American salespersons. Leadership
perceptions were higher for Caucasian Americans than for Asian Americans regardless of occupation.
“Across all three studies, our results indicate that when making between-race comparisons, Asian Americans are
perceived as less ideal leaders than are Caucasian Americans. This suggests that Asian Americans may be
disadvantaged relative to Caucasian Americans when organizational leaders make decisions about whom to promote to
managerial positions,” the authors wrote.
“The stereotype in the workforce is that Asian Amercians are great workers, not great leaders,” Sy added. “In the Western
world, the ideal leadership prototype is charismatic, which is associated with Caucasians. Asians are perceived as
competent, intelligent and dedicated, but lack the perception of charisma needed to be viewed as strong leaders.”
Past research has found that Asian Americans are perceived to possess the necessary attributes for engineer
occupations, but lack the necessary attributes for the sales fields, the study notes. Traits often associated with Asian
Americans, such as social introversion, emotional withdrawal, verbal inhibition, passivity, a quiet demeanor and a
reserved manner are not typically viewed as compatible with sales positions.
The study found that even when Asian Americans were perceived to be more technically competent – such as Asian
American engineers vs. Caucasian American engineers – they still were perceived to be less ideal leaders than were
Caucasian Americans.
This suggests that organizations and leaders need to understand there is a pervasive bias and examine current practices,
Sy said.
“People are not even aware they have biases. It is subtle, pre-conscious behavior,” he explained. “Management needs to
understand this is happening and needs to look at leadership selection and development. The awareness is there for
African Americans and for gender issues, but not for Asian Americans.”
Sy said it also is important to determine whether Asian Americans have the same motivations as Caucasian Americans to
aspire to leadership positions. For example, many Asians in the West have come to believe that Caucasians make better
leaders.
“They look at the leaders in their organizations. If there are no examples of leaders of your race or gender, you’re less likely
to believe you are leader-like and consequently you don’t aspire to be a leader,” he explained.
At the same time, Asian Americans tend to believe that technical competence is the primary criterion for promotions, so
they may focus their energy on improving their technical rather than their leadership skills, further perpetuating the cycle of
bias.
“Ultimately promotions and leadership advancement of Asian Americans and other minorities occur in a competitive
environment where they are compared with others, especially their Caucasian counterparts, who may be viewed as best
fitting for a business leader,” the researchers wrote. “Consequently, the extent to which Asian Americans and other
minorities are perceived as less ideal leaders in comparison with others has significant implications for leadership
advancement.”
increasingly racially diverse, and organizations are realizing that the inclusion of racial minorities constitutes a competitive
advantage in a global market,” according to the researchers. “However, racial minorities are often perceived to be less
suitable for management positions in the United States, as evidenced by a persistent glass ceiling for these groups, lower
managerial promotion ratings, lower job suitability ratings, and individuals’ attributions of success and failure.”
Asian Americans represent approximately 5 percent of the U.S. population and are projected to account for 9 percent of the
population by 2050. However, they account for only .3 percent of corporate officers, less than 1 percent of corporate board
members and about 2 percent of college presidents, despite their higher representation in business and professional
occupations.
This study is the first on Asian Americans and perceptions of leadership, and may explain why fewer Asian Americans
advance to senior positions of leadership than their education, experience and competence would suggest, Sy said.
“We’ve been taught that if you have greater education, skill and experience you will succeed,” Sy said. “That falls apart
when it comes to Asian Americans.”
The researchers sampled three groups of individuals – 131 business undergraduates from a large business school on
the West Coast, and one group of 362 employees and another of 381 employees in the Los Angeles region – and asked
them to evaluate an employee. In one experiment participants received identical information about the employee’s
expertise as an engineer or salesperson, but some were told the employee was Asian American and others that he was
Caucasian American. In a similar experiment, participants assessed the employee’s leadership attributes.
Study participants perceived Asian American engineers as more technically competent than Caucasian American
engineers, and Asian American salespersons as less capable than Caucasian American salespersons. Leadership
perceptions were higher for Caucasian Americans than for Asian Americans regardless of occupation.
“Across all three studies, our results indicate that when making between-race comparisons, Asian Americans are
perceived as less ideal leaders than are Caucasian Americans. This suggests that Asian Americans may be
disadvantaged relative to Caucasian Americans when organizational leaders make decisions about whom to promote to
managerial positions,” the authors wrote.
“The stereotype in the workforce is that Asian Amercians are great workers, not great leaders,” Sy added. “In the Western
world, the ideal leadership prototype is charismatic, which is associated with Caucasians. Asians are perceived as
competent, intelligent and dedicated, but lack the perception of charisma needed to be viewed as strong leaders.”
Past research has found that Asian Americans are perceived to possess the necessary attributes for engineer
occupations, but lack the necessary attributes for the sales fields, the study notes. Traits often associated with Asian
Americans, such as social introversion, emotional withdrawal, verbal inhibition, passivity, a quiet demeanor and a
reserved manner are not typically viewed as compatible with sales positions.
The study found that even when Asian Americans were perceived to be more technically competent – such as Asian
American engineers vs. Caucasian American engineers – they still were perceived to be less ideal leaders than were
Caucasian Americans.
This suggests that organizations and leaders need to understand there is a pervasive bias and examine current practices,
Sy said.
“People are not even aware they have biases. It is subtle, pre-conscious behavior,” he explained. “Management needs to
understand this is happening and needs to look at leadership selection and development. The awareness is there for
African Americans and for gender issues, but not for Asian Americans.”
Sy said it also is important to determine whether Asian Americans have the same motivations as Caucasian Americans to
aspire to leadership positions. For example, many Asians in the West have come to believe that Caucasians make better
leaders.
“They look at the leaders in their organizations. If there are no examples of leaders of your race or gender, you’re less likely
to believe you are leader-like and consequently you don’t aspire to be a leader,” he explained.
At the same time, Asian Americans tend to believe that technical competence is the primary criterion for promotions, so
they may focus their energy on improving their technical rather than their leadership skills, further perpetuating the cycle of
bias.
“Ultimately promotions and leadership advancement of Asian Americans and other minorities occur in a competitive
environment where they are compared with others, especially their Caucasian counterparts, who may be viewed as best
fitting for a business leader,” the researchers wrote. “Consequently, the extent to which Asian Americans and other
minorities are perceived as less ideal leaders in comparison with others has significant implications for leadership
advancement.”
UC Riverside study finds Asian Americans not viewed as ideal leaders
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Asian Americans are widely viewed as “model minorities” on the basis of
education, income and competence. But they are perceived as less ideal than Caucasian
Americans when it comes to attaining leadership roles in U.S. businesses and board rooms,
according to researchers at the University of California, Riverside.
In a groundbreaking study, researchers found that “race trumps other salient characteristics,
such as one’s occupation, regarding perceptions of who is a good leader,” said Thomas Sy,
assistant professor of psychology at UC Riverside and the lead author of the study.
The peer-reviewed paper, “Leadership Perceptions as a Function of Race-Occupation Fit: The
Case of Asian Americans,” appears in theJournal of Applied Psychology.
Co-authors are Lynn M. Shore of San Diego State University, Judy Strauss of CSU Long Beach,
Ted H. Shore of CSU San Marcos, UCR graduate students Susanna Tram and Paul Whiteley,
and Kristine Ikeda-Muromachi of CSU Long Beach.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Asian Americans are widely viewed as “model minorities” on the basis of
education, income and competence. But they are perceived as less ideal than Caucasian
Americans when it comes to attaining leadership roles in U.S. businesses and board rooms,
according to researchers at the University of California, Riverside.
In a groundbreaking study, researchers found that “race trumps other salient characteristics,
such as one’s occupation, regarding perceptions of who is a good leader,” said Thomas Sy,
assistant professor of psychology at UC Riverside and the lead author of the study.
The peer-reviewed paper, “Leadership Perceptions as a Function of Race-Occupation Fit: The
Case of Asian Americans,” appears in theJournal of Applied Psychology.
Co-authors are Lynn M. Shore of San Diego State University, Judy Strauss of CSU Long Beach,
Ted H. Shore of CSU San Marcos, UCR graduate students Susanna Tram and Paul Whiteley,
and Kristine Ikeda-Muromachi of CSU Long Beach.
Thomas Sy, assistant
professor of psychology at
UC Riverside and the lead
author of the study.
professor of psychology at
UC Riverside and the lead
author of the study.