The relatively high ‘psychological equality’ in countries such as Spain, Netherlands, Germany and Italy in the 1990s, as measured by surveys, predicted performance increases in those countries’ national soccer teams over the subsequent 15 years, say Roderick I. Swaab of Insead and Adam D. Galinsky of Columbia Business School. Countries with high psychological equality are those in which people are more likely to endorse the belief that all people are of equal worth. Egalitarian societies tend to open opportunities for all, whereas more-hierarchical ones prevent disadvantaged people from fulfilling opportunities.

(Source: Organisational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes)

Published in Dawn, Business & Finance weekly, October 5th , 2015

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