Reference paper:
Dutton, J. E., Ashford, S. J., Lawrence, K. A., & Miner-Rubino, K. (2002). Red light, green light: Making sense of the organizational context for issue selling. Organization Science, 355–369.Conclusion:
(A 50-word quick summary from my understanding)
Female managers attend to range of contextual cues - demographics, top management qualities & cultural exclusivity - in considering raising gender-equity issues. A study of mediators - probability of success, perceived image risks & perceive political support - shows why cultural exclusivity is the most potent cue affecting issue-selling willingness.Quick Notes/queries:
(For my further delving)
Stereotype threats
- How do gender prejudices and stereotypes affect success of issue selling?
- How do unconscious gender biases lead to discriminatory success of issue-selling despite critical decision-makers (targets of issue selling) not wanting to discriminate?
- Research shows that societal stereotypes about groups can influence the intellectual functioning and identity development of individual group members (Steele, 1997). In general, do women perceive comparatively poorer efficacy of and/or safety in issue selling, despite contradictory contextual favorability? If so, does this perceived efficacy and/or safety impact willingness to sell any issue, including gender-equity issues?
Newcomers
- How do female newcomers typically navigate to make sense of the context and its favorability for issue selling? Is this appraisal process different for male newcomers? How do male and female colleagues consciously and otherwise affect female newcomer's diagnosis of contextual favorability?
- What contextual factors are more cognitively accessible for newcomers?
- What additional factors influence issue selling desirability of women newcomers? Since newcomers have no history or contacts for sensemaking, are they likely to test waters by issue selling or are they more likely to remain silent until they get a better sense of the contextual cues?
Other factors
- How does exchange relationships with issue-selling decision makers influence issue-selling desirability?
- How does the gender constitution of critical decision makers influence issue selling desirability?
- What contextual cues and mediators affect female manager's willingness to sell issues that are NOT gender-equity related? For ex - does 'perception of women at top levels' influence raising issues such as administrative, technical or cost savings?
- What dispositional factors influence issue selling by female managers? Are these dispositional factors distinct from their male counterparts?
Others
- How do individuals define success in issue selling context? Is it successful influencing of immediate supervisor who may not necessarily be the decision maker, drawing necessary attention of critical decision makers, or implementing necessary actions to resolve the issue?
- Are males in general less aware of gender-equity issues? What contextual cues and mediators affect willingness to sell gender-equity issues by males?