Exploring Intragender Ambition and Competition for Women Leaders in Accountancy Firms in China

Abstract

This study explores how women leaders and partners understand and perform gender by engaging in intragender ambition and competition in Chinese accountancy firms. This study’s framework is social constructionism, and it uses qualitative research methods, including a systematic literature review, semi-structured interviews with thirty-six women leaders and partners in Chinese accountancy firms, and a thematic analysis of collected data. The data analysis focuses on women’s relational leadership in the gender equality context, which most organisations would like to achieve when looking forward to the future. This study builds a theoretical framework of gender in leadership, including women’s leadership status and the changing concepts of ‘doing gender’ in leadership. This study finds that women leaders and partners play an essential role in supporting more women in leadership and partnership positions in the Chinese accountancy industry. Furthermore, this study finds that organisational culture and structure can support women in leadership and women’s intragender relationships. This study develops the theory of change in women’s leadership. The theory includes some understanding: women leaders face contextual complexity and uncertainty; women keep changing leadership styles; women leaders conduct positive change on intragender relationships; women act as leaders of change in ‘doing gender’ with other women; change and influence happen between organisation and women’s relationships, and between organisational structure and women’s ambition and competition. This study proposes two new theories: mobilising gender and Confucianism and yin-yang leadership. In the gender equality context, women leaders need to mobilise gender using Confucianism and yin-yang leadership. This study suggests that people view women leaders as boundary spanners and catalysts when they mobilise systems of change and reduce conflicts to maintain their power and position. Mobilising gender includes both sides, that is, mobilising femininity between women and mobilising masculinity like men for the leadership role.