A critical perspective on gender and paternalistic leadership in China

Women have made significant social advancements in recent times in China, but as in most of the world they still face barriers to leadership positions. This is even (re)presented in the most popular indigenous Chinese theory of leadership: Paternalistic Leadership (PL). As a theory, PL overlooks the potential of women leaders. Acknowledging what may be understood as epistemological sexism, this article critically analyses PL as the dominant theoretical framework for the study of leadership in China. Gender bias inherent within the theory, and even its name. This is identified as a key weakness for its application. The use of a Postcolonial feminist leans to address this gender bias is introduced, applying concepts like Othering, Norm, and essentialisism. This article highlights the utility of postcolonial feminism to PL studies by introducing a conceptual toolkit for future researchers