Young Leaders for Change? Age Bias in Leadership Perceptions of Traditional versus Change-Oriented Leadership Roles

Age bias against younger leaders is a persistent phenomenon in many organizational settings, yet its impact may depend on who evaluates them and when they are evaluated. Drawing on leadership categorization theory and the connectionist model of leadership perception, we investigate the role of evaluator age and an organizational change context in the effects of age-related biases on leadership perceptions. In an archival study of 1,573 newly appointed CEOs from 2000 to 2020, we find that younger CEOs are more frequently appointed during periods of organizational change, especially when supervisory boards are older (Study 1). In two experimental studies, we elucidate the underlying mechanism: younger leaders are perceived as less prototypical in traditional leadership roles but are comparatively less penalized in change-oriented leadership roles (Study 2: N = 658; Study 3: N = 552). Therefore, using a multimethod approach, we show that (1) age bias against younger leaders is less pronounced among younger evaluators and (2) such bias is mitigated in change-oriented leadership contexts, particularly for older evaluators. Overall, our research highlights the dynamic and complex nature of age and leadership perception.

About Claudia

Claudia Buengeler is Full Professor and Chair of Human Resource Management and Organization at the Institute of Business, Kiel University. Before she was an Assistant Professor of Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior at Amsterdam Business School and a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Mannheim. Claudia Buengeler received her PhD in Business Administration and Social & Organizational Psychology from Jacobs University Bremen and VU University Amsterdam. Her research on leadership, diversity, and team effectiveness was published in leading international journals (e.g., Journal of Management, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Organizational Behavior, The Leadership Quarterly, Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, Human Resource Management Review, and Academy of Management Learning & Education).

Claudia Buengeler is Editor-in-Chief of the journal Organizational Psychology Review and on the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Human Resource Management, Journal of Business and Psychology, and Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies. She is also Associate Editor of PersonalQuarterly.

This seminar will be held in person in room T10-67. Alternatively, you can join the seminar via Zoom by clicking here.

Meeting ID: 965 9107 1011 
Passcode: 002288