Dr. Zhuo Jiayi, Assistant Professor at the School of Business (MSB) of Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST), has published a paper titled “Forced Ranking Systems and Gender Gaps in Job Tenure” online in the prestigious management journal Management Science, one of the UTD24, on 4 February 2026, highlighting the University’s outstanding research capabilities in the field of business. Assistant Professor Zhuo is the corresponding author of the paper. Management Science, established in 1954 and published by the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS), is one of the most historical and most influential international journals in management and operations research. It is also part of the UTD24 and FT50 lists, known for its exceptional academic reputation and international influence.
The co-authors of the paper included Associate Professor Yan Shuo from Zhejiang University, Associate Professor Li Shaobo from Southern University of Science and Technology, Chair Professor Daniel Houser from George Mason University, and Professor Ge Chunmian from South China University of Technology. Using career history data from employees’ online profiles, this research provides empirical evidence regarding how human resources systems can affect the gender gap in job tenure. The results indicate that female workers experience shorter average job tenure than male workers. The results further show that abandoning forced ranking systems helps to narrow this gender gap. Additionally, the study presents experimental evidence indicating that in forced ranking environments, women experience shorter tenure than men and are more likely to exit their roles. This is true even when women are on equal footing with men. Finally, the study presents survey evidence that under forced ranking systems, more women resign as compared with men. In sum, the empirical, experimental, and survey results indicate that forced ranking systems may contribute to a gender gap in job tenure. Accordingly, abandoning such systems may help promote workplace gender equality.
UTD24 includes 24 top-tier business and management journals, which is an important evaluation metric for international rankings of business schools. These 24 journals cover major fields in business, including accounting, finance, management, marketing, information systems, and operations management, and are widely recognized by the international academic community.
(Contributed and reviewed by Assistant Professor Zhuo Jiayi, format reviewed by Helen Kam)
