Impression Management: Mitigating The Effects Of Sex-Stereotyping In Organizations

Abstract

Sex-stereotyping is a major barrier to advancement of women in organizations. Since sex-stereotypes are based on role attribution, they are less amenable to change through measures such as legislation and education. Women need to strategically manage the roles attributed to them such that they are reflective of their roles in the organization, rather than that of a generalized notion of women. Adoption of such measures, over time will bring about a reconfiguration of perceptions about women in organizations and make it easier for women to embrace their multiple roles and identities more effectively. This is a conceptual paper on how women can leverage the power of impression management to mitigate the negative effects of sex-stereotyping in organizations.