Inequality

Leadership is never easy, and women in positions of power have the added challenge of balancing “dominant” and “communal” management styles. A 2012 study by scholars at Northwestern University and Duke University explores how race can further complicate the issue.

From the Scholars Strategy Network, written by Andrea Hetling, Rutgers University.

As income inequality has continued to rise in the United States, scholars have been examining the deep structural issues that may help drive this trend. Some research has documented how certain public policy choices — or decisions not to address pressing problems in a changing economy — has been at the heart of this issue.

The tendency for individuals to overestimate their own merits has long vexed psychologists, philosophers, employers, co-workers and spouses. Formally known as self-enhancement bias, it’s nearly universal but varies significantly from country to country. What societal factors might promote its prevalence?