Religiosity and gender equality in the managerial labor market: Evidence from executive promotions

Abstract In this study, we rank each executive based on their job title and examine gender disparity among them. We find that female executives face a disadvantage in promotions within firms located in highly religious counties. This phenomenon is especially evident among lower‐ranked executives, whose promotions are more significantly influenced by cultural factors. Furthermore, our results remain intact when we adopt alternative specifications (e.g., propensity score matching, instrumental variable). This study unveils a hidden pullback of religiosity in restraining firms from advancing female leaders and has a broad implication that cultural dynamics surrounding a community can be very influential on corporate strategies and decisions.