The scarcity trap: Deconstructing ‘Queen Bee’ dynamics in the procurement and supply chain ecosystem

This paper examines the phenomenon commonly described as ‘Queen Bee’ behaviour within procurement and supply chain leadership. Challenging explanations that attribute female-on-female friction to individual personality traits, it argues that such behaviour is better understood as a rational response to structural conditions within male-dominated environments. Drawing on social identity theory, tokenism, role congruity theory and the glass cliff, alongside survey data from women working across procurement and supply chain functions, the paper demonstrates how leadership scarcity, heightened scrutiny and unequal expectations encourage distancing behaviours and intrasexual competition. It concludes that lasting change requires systemic reform rather than individual behavioural interventions. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.