Expatriate paternalistic leadership and gender relations in small European software firms in India

The study examines how European managers deliver paternalistic leadership in two small IT companies in India, a collectivist, high-power-distance culture where private lives are largely influenced by extended families. In particular, gender aspects are discussed in relation to recruitment and attrition, working hours and leave policies, and building company culture. These small companies experience a different set of challenges from those faced by the big multinationals, and they meet them in different ways, often translating Western management ideas to fit the Indian context. This article shows how managers of these two companies, with their European background, adapt their leadership to the Indian setting and how they handle gender issues. While some degree of paternalistic leadership appears to be a necessity in the Indian context, introducing European ideas of low power differences and regulated policies creates a mix which is appreciated by the employees.