Cultural norms may keep East Asians out of the C-suite, study suggests

East Asians are underrepresented in leadership positions in America — and it may be because of cultural differences in assertiveness, according to a May 3 report by Cambridge, Mass.-based MIT Sloan.

Research examining challenges for Asians in American corporate leadership suggests that East Asians, but not South Asians, are underrepresented in leadership positions because East Asian culture emphasizes humility and conformity over assertiveness — a potentially undesirable trait in American leadership.

Six study findings:

1. The same patterns of being underrepresented in American leadership exist for both international Asians and Asian Americans, suggesting that language barriers or immigration status are not driving the problem.
   
   
2. In East Asian cultures, non-assertiveness can be seen as steadiness, but it could be interpreted in American leadership culture as lacking confidence and motivation. In contrast, South Asian cultures often encourage assertiveness and debate in interpersonal communication.
   
   
3. The researchers collected data from S&P 500 companies between 2010 and 2017. They found that there was an average of 2.82 South Asian CEOs per million South Asians in the U.S., compared to 1.92 CEOs per million white people in the U.S., and 0.59 CEOs per million East Asians in the U.S.
   
   
4. Even though South Asian leadership is more common, they experience more prejudice than their East Asian counterparts, according to a study of 339 non-Asian, native English speakers born in the U.S. However, the study was conducted before COVID-19 increased discrimination towards East Asian Americans.
   
   
5. In a survey of 1,700 East and South Asians working at S&P-level businesses, the groups had equally high work motivation, suggesting work motivation is not a factor in underrepresentation in leadership roles.
   
   
6. Studies the researchers conducted found consistent evidence that East Asians scored lower than South Asians and white people on assertiveness. Assertiveness was measured with self-ratings and other ratings, such as "I speak up and share my views when it is appropriate," and "I am willing to engage in constructive interpersonal confrontations."