Collaborative Research Postgraduate Students' Seminar Series — Are “Justified” Biases Acceptable? Citizens’ Perceptions of Gendered Government Hiring

Abstract

Gender-biased recruitment persists in many public institutions, yet its impact on public perception remains underexplored. This study investigates citizens’ perceptions of gender-targeted recruitment through a survey experiment with follow-up interviews conducted in China. Analysis of quantitative and qualitative data reveals that gender-targeted job advertisement negatively impacts perceived fairness and reasonableness in government hiring, particularly when favouring men. However, ‘justifications’ for gender preferences, aligning with role congruity theory, can mitigate this negative effect. This research highlights the importance of addressing gender bias in government hiring to maintain public trust and alerts the subtle ways biases can be legitimised.

Hosted by

·        School of Graduate Studies, Lingnan University, Hong Kong SAR

·        International Classroom for Postgraduate Research Methodology Enhancement, Lingnan University, Hong Kong SAR

Co-organisers

·        Department of Social Sciences and Policy Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR

·        Section on Chinese Public Administration (SCPA) of American Society for Public Administration (ASPA)

Biography

Dr Ning LIU is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public and International Affairs at the City University of Hong Kong. She studies government-business relations, regulation and compliance, and AI governance. Her research has been published in top academic journals such as the Academy of Management Journal, Public Administration Review, Policy Studies Journal, Public Administration, The China Quarterly, and Industry and Innovation, among others. Dr LIU serves as co-editor of Regulation & Governance and chairs the membership committee of the Academy of Management's PNP division.

Date:

8 May 2025 (Thursday)

Time:

9:30am – 11:30am (HKT) (Please log in 10 minutes beforehand)

Language:

English

Mode:

Online via Zoom

* Please use your Lingnan email address to log in to your Zoom account when joining the meeting.