Organizational sports metaphors: Reconsidering gender bias in the team concept

Some work focused on sports metaphors has been fueled by the assumption that there are significant gender differences in regard to the way organizational sports metaphors are perceived. In this study, the team concept was examined as a sports metaphor. Survey questionnaires were used to measure affective meaning of the team concept as well as associations made between the team concept and certain metaphorical entailments. The analysis revealed few differences between women and men. Results call into question broad claims that the team concept is inherently gender‐biased and serve as evidence that further research is needed in this area.