Post by Rice Business

People who face discrimination, institutional barriers or unequal access to public goods may have fewer reasons to have “generalized trust” that systems will work fairly on their behalf. To voters and employees in that context, a forceful leader can seem appealing. “Every society has its problems,” says Marlon Mooijman, Jones School Distinguished Assistant Professor of Management. “Strong leaders often position themselves as the solution to persistent issues like poverty or crime. For those who have low levels of trust in other members of society, a strong leader’s vision for the future could seem a more expedient way to deal with these problems than the compromises inherent to democratic dealmaking.” Co-authors: Krishnan Nair (College of Business and Economics at Boise State) Maryam Kouchaki (Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management) #FacultyFriday