A Commentary on Wolf and Stock-Homburg (2025) – Examining Robot Readiness Through Gendered and Intersectional Perspectives

Abstract

This commentary builds on Wolf and Stock-Homburg’s (2025) study on employee acceptance of robotic managers by introducing a gendered and intersectional lens to the analysis of robot readiness. It argues that acceptance of robotic leadership is influenced not only by technological performance but also by social identity dynamics. In particular, drawing on stereotype threat, status threat, and affective forecasting, the commentary highlights how gendered expectations influence responses to robot overperformance, further extending the discussion through an intersectional framework to illustrate how complex bias patterns in response to robot embodiment are activated. It outlines practical implications for organisations, calling for diversity-responsive design to ensure that robotic systems support, rather than undermine, inclusion in the workplace.