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Network centrality and negative ties in feminine and masculine occupations

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Abstract

Negative ties and gender (as a contextual variable) have remained under-studied in the social networks research in management. Drawing on occupational gender-typing theory, the paper hypothesizes that the relationship between indegree centrality of employees in a positive ties-based network and their tendency to cite their colleagues in negative ties differs in a feminine and a masculine occupation. Using network data from two organizations in India, the paper shows that in a feminine occupation (nursing), the higher the indegree centrality of the employees in a positive ties-based network, the less likely are they to cite negative ties whereas, in a masculine occupation (mining), the higher the indegree centrality of the employees in a positive ties-based network, more likely are they to cite negative ties. We make a theoretical contribution by extending the occupational gender-typing theory in social networks research by theorizing and examining the distinctive effects of the context – feminine and masculine occupations – on networks and work relations. We also discuss the managerial implications of the study.

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The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Indian Institute of Management Udaipur, Balicha, Udaipur, Rajasthan, 313001, India

    Vijayta Doshi

  2. Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, UP, India

    Satyam Mukherjee

  3. Rohrer College of Business, Rowan University, Business Hall, 201 Mullica Hill Rd, Glassboro, NJ, 08028, USA

    Yang Yang

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  1. Vijayta Doshi
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  2. Satyam Mukherjee
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Doshi, V., Mukherjee, S. & Yang, Y. Network centrality and negative ties in feminine and masculine occupations. Asia Pac J Manag 40, 243–264 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10490-021-09785-7

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