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This study aims to identify factors impacting female underrepresentation among cybersecurity professionals in Sri Lanka.

The study is based on survey data from 75 female professionals working in the cybersecurity sector of Sri Lanka. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data.

Results showed that female self-efficacy on their capabilities, family, organisational culture, mentors and role model act as antecedents for women’s perceived motivation to select cybersecurity as a career option.

The study advances the literature on workforce gaps in the cybersecurity sector and claims that there is no single factor causing significant female underrepresentation in the cybersecurity industry. While clarifying the complexity of such factors, the study presents how such factors can systematise to attract females into the cybersecurity field.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation has led to the emergence of virtual teams in all organizations, and the role of leadership has become more pertinent. The current research focuses on understanding the factors for better team performance in virtual teams. Based on the contingency perspective, the behavioral complexity in leadership (BCL) theory is the most appropriate as BCL requires the leader to demonstrate multiple contrasting leadership behaviors according to the situation. Both internal as well external roles were explored, which could facilitate better communication quality and role clarity to increase interpersonal trust and leadership effectiveness in the current crisis.

Data were collected from employees who have worked in virtual teams during the crisis and who have experience of working in a virtual team environment. A total of 200 questionnaires were distributed, and 175 were received. A path model was built applying partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

Communication quality has come as a partial mediator for the relationship between internal and external leadership roles and trust. Role clarity fully mediated the relationship between external leadership roles and conflict. Internal and external leadership roles showed a significant effect on leadership effectiveness, which were further related to team performance in virtual teams. Additionally, synchronous technology was used more by virtual teams.

The study did not examine cultural differences or cultural adaptation in virtual teams. Instead of the BCL theory, future research may apply attribute-based or relational-based theory to examine leadership roles in virtual team performance.

Using the BCL theory, the current study contributes to an understanding of virtual team performance and the internal as well as external role of leaders. This is relevant in an environment of extreme ambiguity such as COVID-19.