IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i7p3183-d1627473.html

Advancing Gender Equality in Executive Leadership: The Role of Cultural Norms and Organizational Practices in Sustainable Development—A Case Study of Taiwan and Guatemala

Author

Listed:
  • Camila Saenz

    (College of Management, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Taiwan)

  • Shih-Wei Wu

    (Department of Business Management, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Taiwan)

  • Venkata Uddaraju

    (College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA)

  • Amirhossein Nafei

    (Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Taiwan)

  • Yu-Lun Liu

    (Kent Business School, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NZ, UK)

Abstract

The persistent gender gap in executive leadership remains a challenge to sustainable development. Despite evidence linking diverse leadership to enhanced organizational performance and economic growth, women still face barriers to leadership roles. This study examines cultural norms, organizational policies, and workplace practices sustaining gender inequality in executive positions in Taiwan and Guatemala. Using a quantitative research design, data were collected from a cross-sectional survey of 250 women executives in private organizations. The findings highlight cultural norms and organizational policies as key factors perpetuating the gender gap. Traditional gender roles and male-dominated networks act as barriers, while inclusive practices and leadership development programs promote equality. Organizational culture also mediates the relationship between inclusivity and leadership opportunities, emphasizing the role of empathy-driven policies. This research aligns with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), underscoring the need for gender-equal leadership to foster innovation and sustainable growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Camila Saenz & Shih-Wei Wu & Venkata Uddaraju & Amirhossein Nafei & Yu-Lun Liu, 2025. "Advancing Gender Equality in Executive Leadership: The Role of Cultural Norms and Organizational Practices in Sustainable Development—A Case Study of Taiwan and Guatemala," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-19, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:7:p:3183-:d:1627473
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/7/3183/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/7/3183/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Attah-Boakye, Rexford & Adams, Kweku & Kimani, Danson & Ullah, Subhan, 2020. "The impact of board gender diversity and national culture on corporate innovation: A multi-country analysis of multinational corporations operating in emerging economies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    2. Paola Belingheri & Filippo Chiarello & Andrea Fronzetti Colladon & Paola Rovelli, 2021. "Twenty years of gender equality research: A scoping review based on a new semantic indicator," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(9), pages 1-27, September.
    3. Morris, Michael W. & Hong, Ying-yi & Chiu, Chi-yue & Liu, Zhi, 2015. "Normology: Integrating insights about social norms to understand cultural dynamics," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 1-13.
    4. Rocio Bonet & Peter Cappelli & Monika Hamori, 2020. "Gender differences in speed of advancement: An empirical examination of top executives in the Fortune 100 firms," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(4), pages 708-737, April.
    5. Krista B. Lewellyn & Maureen I. Muller-Kahle, 2020. "The Corporate Board Glass Ceiling: The Role of Empowerment and Culture in Shaping Board Gender Diversity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 165(2), pages 329-346, August.
    6. Caprice Lantz-Deaton & Nayyara Tabassum & Bryan McIntosh, 2018. "Through the glass ceiling: is mentoring the way forward?," International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 18(3/4), pages 167-197.
    7. Wenjie Liao & Liying Luo, 2021. "Gender, Education, and Attitudes toward Women’s Leadership in Three East Asian Countries: An Intersectional and Multilevel Approach," Societies, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-19, August.
    8. Sang Lee & Raya Hamad Alsereidi & Samar Ben Romdhane, 2023. "Gender Roles, Gender Bias, and Cultural Influences: Perceptions of Male and Female UAE Public Relations Professionals," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-15, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Khanh Duong, 2024. "Is meritocracy just? New evidence from Boolean analysis and Machine learning," Journal of Computational Social Science, Springer, vol. 7(2), pages 1795-1821, October.
    2. Rami Salem & Musa Ghazwani & Waleed Alshaer, 2025. "ESG Performance–Stock Price Volatility Nexus: The Moderating Effect of Board Cultural Diversity in G20 Markets," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(7), pages 8172-8193, November.
    3. Francisco Díez-Martín & Giorgia Miotto & Cristina Del-Castillo-Feito, 2024. "The intellectual structure of gender equality research in the business economics literature," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 18(6), pages 1649-1680, June.
    4. Musa Ghazwani, 2025. "Institutional and Critical Mass Theories in Action: How Executive Diversity and Global Anti‐Corruption Initiatives Impact ESG Performance in G20 Firms," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(S1), pages 665-686, November.
    5. Susann Fiedler & Dshamilja Marie Hellmann & Angela Rachael Dorrough & Andreas Glöckner, 2018. "Cross-national in-group favoritism in prosocial behavior: Evidence from Latin and North America," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 13(1), pages 42-60, January.
    6. Özgecan Koçak & Phanish Puranam, 2024. "Decoding Culture: Tools for Behavioral Strategists," Strategy Science, INFORMS, vol. 9(1), pages 18-37, March.
    7. Prokop, Viktor & Gerstlberger, Wolfgang & Zapletal, David & Gyamfi, Solomon, 2023. "Do we need human capital heterogeneity for energy efficiency and innovativeness? Insights from European catching-up territories," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    8. Giovanna Campopiano & Patricia Gabaldón & Daniela Gimenez-Jimenez, 2023. "Women Directors and Corporate Social Performance: An Integrative Review of the Literature and a Future Research Agenda," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(3), pages 717-746, January.
    9. Camélia Radu & Nadia Smaili, 2022. "Board Gender Diversity and Corporate Response to Cyber Risk: Evidence from Cybersecurity Related Disclosure," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 177(2), pages 351-374, May.
    10. Pham, Thuy-Dzung T. & Lo, Fang-Yi, 2023. "How does top management team diversity influence firm performance? A causal complexity analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 186(PB).
    11. Vincenzo Vastola & Giovanna Campopiano & Francesco Debellis & Domenico Rocco Cambrea, 2025. "“If you like it Green, put a ring on it”: Married women directors and environmental performance in family and non-family businesses," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 202(1), pages 203-219, November.
    12. Nakpodia, Franklin & Ashiru, Folajimi & Adegbite, Emmanuel & Koporcic, Nikolina, 2025. "Insidious institutional challenges of mature MNE subsidiaries operating in weak institutional markets: Corporate governance to the rescue," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(4).
    13. Michaela Kotkova Striteska & Katerina Myslivcova & Viktor Prokop & Lucie Zapletalova, 2024. "Employees' engagement, family ownership, or gender diversity? Searching for determinants of SMEs' green behaviors in CEE countries," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(4), pages 3065-3080, July.
    14. Fujiao Xie & Ying Guo & Shirley J. Daniel & Yuanyang Liu, 2024. "The dynamic relation between board gender diversity and firm performance: the moderating role of shareholder activism," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 62(1), pages 225-246, January.
    15. Ullah, Subhan & Agyei-Boapeah, Henry & Kim, Ja Ryong & Nasim, Asma, 2022. "Does national culture matter for environmental innovation? A study of emerging economies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    16. Lukasz Kutylo, 2017. "In Search of the ‘Spirit of Capitalism’: About Normative Mechanisms Responsible for the Organisation of Social Behaviours," Annales. Ethics in Economic Life, University of Lodz, Faculty of Economics and Sociology, vol. 20(4), pages 77-87, December.
    17. Muhammad A. Saleem & Hina Ismail & Rao Akmal Ali, 2021. "Actions Speak Louder than Words: Investigating the Interplay between Descriptive and Injunctive Norms to Promote Alternative Fuel Vehicles," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-17, August.
    18. Linda Elizabeth Ruiz & José Ernesto Amorós & Maribel Guerrero, 2023. "The role of individual capabilities, workplace, and national culture on corporate entrepreneurship: A gender perspective," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1921-1945, December.
    19. Lorenz Graf-Vlachy & Katharina Buhtz & Andreas König, 2018. "Social influence in technology adoption: taking stock and moving forward," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 68(1), pages 37-76, February.
    20. Conor Callahan & Arjun Mitra & Steve Sauerwald, 2024. "Ethics of Care and Employees: The Impact of Female Board Representation and Top Management Leadership on Human Capital Development Policies," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 195(3), pages 615-629, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:7:p:3183-:d:1627473. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.