.... Originality/value This study enriches female leadership literature regarding gender stereotype issues by incorporating institutional approach and organizational legitimacy literature. By focusing on regulatory legitimacy and moral legitimacy, this work also helps to further understand gender-related...

...). These all point to some of the progress that has been made by women in Iran. However, despite this progress, Iranian women's participation in the workforce remains somewhat muted due to gender stereotypes, discrimination, and the erosion of legal rights of professional women in Iran as a result...