We're excited to organize a presenter symposium entitled "Through the Lens of Class: How Social Class Shapes Leadership Experiences" at AOM 2025, sponsored by the DEI and OB divisions.
Join us as we explore how social class – both background and current status – influences leadership behavior, communication, and performance across organizational levels. Through four empirical studies, we'll uncover the complex relationships between social class, race, and leadership effectiveness, revealing insights that challenge traditional assumptions about leadership development and success.
Date: Sunday, July 27th
Time: 10:15 AM – 11:45 AM (CEST)
Location: Bella Center in Hall D (D3-m8)
Session #: 13250
Organizers: Marla L. White (Virginia Tech), Alison V. Hall, Wendy J. Casper (University of Texas at Arlington)
Discussant: Sean R. Martin (University of Virginia)
Presentations:
1. Social Class Background, Managing Your Boss, and First-time Leader Effectiveness. Saleem Mistry (University of Delaware), Bradley L. Kirkman (North Carolina State University), Kristie Moergen (Iowa State University)
2. The Voices of Mobility: How Career Trajectories Shape the Communication Patterns of Top Executives. Aten Zaandam (Duke University), Timothy Hubbard (University of Notre Dame), Jose Beltran (Rutgers University-Camden)
3. Race and Class Differences in Prosocial Behavior Among Elite Professionals. Ricky V. Burgess (University of Pittsburgh), Marla L. White (Virginia Tech), Herrison J. Chicas (Georgia Institute of Technology)
4. Links that Bind: How Implicit Links Between Social Class, Race, and Leadership Differentially Impact Evaluations of Women Leaders. Marla L. White (Virginia Tech), Alison V. Hall, Wendy J. Casper (University of Texas at Arlington), Yasmine Elfeki, Emily Kim, Ivan Hernandez (Virginia Tech)
This promises to be an eye-opening discussion that will advance our understanding of how social class shapes leadership experiences. Looking forward to seeing many of you there!
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Marla White
Assistant Professor
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg VA
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