Intrasexual competition within organizations

Intrasexual competition refers to rivalry with same-sex others that is, ultimately, driven by the motive to obtain and maintain access to mates. In the present chapter we provide evidence that intrasexual competition also plays an important role in workers’ behaviours, emotions and preferences in the relationship with other workers, and, as a result, may have far reaching consequences for organizations. More specifically, we discuss the types of intrasexual competition that exist, the way these types of intrasexual competition translate into employees’ emotions and behaviours, and the extent to which men and women adopt different intrasexual competitive strategies. Problems in the workplace may occur because intrasexual competition has taken on a dynamic of its own, and influences behaviours and preferences of employees even when this may be maladaptive for the individual or the organization.