Are men better negotiators everywhere? A meta-analysis of how gender differences in negotiation performance vary across cultures

Abstract

Prior research has found that each culture and gender influences negotiation strategies and outcomes, but less is known about their interplay. We integrate these two research streams by providing a meta-analytic review of the interactive impact of gender and culture on negotiation performance. We reviewed 185 studies that reported gender differences in intracultural negotiation performance across 30 societies that varied across seven cultural dimensions. Results showed that Hofstede's individualism–collectivism, GLOBE's in-group collectivism and assertiveness practices, and Schwartz's harmony moderated the gender effect on negotiation performance. We found that in cultures lower in individualism, higher in in-group collectivism practices, lower in assertiveness practices, and higher in harmony, women more likely outperformed men in negotiations. Implications for the role of gender and culture in negotiations and organizations more broadly are discussed.