Purpose This study critiques the existing leadership literature for oversimplifying organizational leadership by predominantly focusing on Western contexts. To address this limitation, we explore collaborative leadership within Pakistani organizational life – particularly in the higher education sector – through the under-researched perspective of male managers who have the authority to determine whether women, a historically marginalized group in Pakistan, are included in leadership collaboration. The research question guiding this study is: What decision-making strategies do male managers in Pakistani higher education institutions consider appropriate for addressing the dilemma related to women's participation in collaborative leadership? Design/methodology/approach Nineteen interviews were conducted with managers from two higher education institutions. The empirical data, capturing detailed real-life experiences, were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Findings The findings reveal a range of decision-making strategies employed by male managers, spanning from resistance to conditional acceptance. These strategies are categorized as patriarchal, withdrawal, and mentoring. Top-level male managers, in particular, emerge as key influencers in shaping the extent to which women are able to collaborate with men in leadership roles. Research limitations/implications This study focuses solely on higher education organizations within the Pakistani sociocultural context. Further research is needed to explore the topic in other settings. Originality/value Moving beyond traditional research on women's leadership and comparative gender analyses, this study offers in-depth insights into the interplay of gender, culture, and leadership, providing a context-sensitive lens on this dynamic.
Shaikh et al. (Tue,) studied this question.