Abstract
Gender bias and nepotism are persistent challenges in the labor market worldwide. In developing economies such as the Philippines, 54.8% of men and 34.5% of women participated in the labor force, roughly a 20% difference (National Economic and Development Authority, 2023). Similarly, political dynasties are well known to have dominant and wide networks in both private and public spheres. In the Philippines, where political dynasties are prevalent and last names can carry political significance, we expect that gender and perceived family connections interact to play a significant role in hiring decisions. This study aims to investigate the role that family ties and gender play in influencing firm hiring decisions. We expect to see a preference for hiring male candidates and those with perceived family connections. However, we also expect an interaction effect in which the positive effect of family ties is stronger for female candidates. In this survey experiment, we will interview hiring managers in a sample of approximately 500 international and domestic manufacturing firms in the Philippines. The hiring manager will be presented with three different pairs of two hypothetical job candidates’ resumes and subsequently asked which candidate their firm would be more likely to hire based on their experience, skills, education, and other qualifications.