1. ¹School of Business and Public Administration, California State University, Bakersfield, USA
2. ²College of Business, Department of Management, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, USA
3. ³Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, USA

Correspondence: Lori D Paris, Department of Management and Marketing, California State University, Bakersfield, 20 BDC, 9001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, CA 93311-1022, USA. Tel: + 1 661 654 6693; Fax: + 1 661 654 2438; E-mail: lparis@csub.edu

Received 1 November 2007; Revised 28 May 2008; Accepted 19 August 2008; Published online 12 March 2009.

Abstract

Our study shows that preferred leadership prototypes held by female leaders differ from the prototypes held by male leaders, and that these prototype differences vary across countries, cultures, and especially industries. In general, female managers prefer participative, team oriented, and charismatic leadership prototype dimensions more than males. Contrary to popular belief, both males and females valued humane-oriented leadership equally. Gender egalitarianism and industry type were important moderators of the gender–leadership prototype relationship. Gender egalitarianism increased females' desire for participative leadership, while prototype differences between genders were magnified in the finance and food industries.