Limited progress? The effect of external pressure for board gender diversity on the increase of female directors

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (7) ◽  
pp. 1123-1150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer M. Knippen ◽  
Wei Shen ◽  
Qi Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Gender Diversity ◽  
External Pressure ◽  
Female Directors ◽  
Board Gender Diversity

scholarly journals Board gender diversity and firm performance: evidence from the Russian agri-food industry

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alisher Tleubayev ◽  
Ihtiyor Bobojonov ◽  
Taras Gagalyuk ◽  
Thomas Glauben
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Critical Mass ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Global Food Security ◽  
Female Directors ◽  
Corporate Executives ◽  
Board Gender Diversity

This study provides pioneering empirical evidence on board gender diversity and firm performance relationship for the case of large-scale agri-food companies in Russia. While Russia plays an important role in the global food security, its domestic agri-food production is heavily dependent on large scale producers. Our findings suggest a strong positive link between the percentage of female directors in boardrooms and firm performance. Moreover, in line with critical mass theory, boards with three or more female directors have greater impact on firm performance compared to boards with two or less female directors. Further analysis shows that the presence of female directors in the company has a positive impact on firm performance, mainly due to their executive, rather than monitoring effects. The paper shed light on gender diversity of Russian corporate boardrooms and provides empirical recommendations for policy makers as well as corporate executives in Russia.

scholarly journals Does gender diversity on the board reduce agency cost? Evidence from Pakistan

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Amin ◽  
Ramiz Ur Rehman ◽  
Rizwan Ali ◽  
Collins G. Ntim
Keyword(s):  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Agency Cost ◽  
Agency Conflicts ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Financial Firms ◽  
Female Directors ◽  
Board Gender Diversity ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to examine the effects of board gender diversity on agency costs in non-financial firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX). Design/methodology/approach Multiple regression analysis is used to determine the impact of board gender diversity on agency cost. The research used panel data consisting of 2,062 firm-year observations of 226 non-financial firms listed on the PSX from 2008 to 2019 to test the proposed hypothesis. In addition, the Blau and the Shannon indices were used to checking for robustness. Findings The results indicate that female presence on the board significantly reduces the agency cost and, hence, mitigates the principal-agent conflict. Moreover, consistent with the critical mass theory, it was found that boards with three or more female directors have a stronger impact on reducing the agency cost, as compared to two or fewer female directors on the board. Research limitations/implications The sample was restricted to non-financial firms listed on the PSX only; therefore, the results reflect the attributes of Pakistan’s business environment. A similar analysis in the context of other countries may generate different results. Practical implications The findings imply that female directors play an important role in reducing agency conflicts between shareholders and managers by enhancing monitoring through effective governance mechanisms. The policymakers, therefore, should focus on female career development and encourage professional training programmes to generate a fair, competitive environment for senior female management. Originality/value This study attempts to fill the literature gap in that no similar study covers the non-financial firms’ listed firms in Pakistan. The paper supports the reforms made by the code of corporate governance by making the placement of female directors mandatory on Pakistani corporate boards. Overall, support is provided for the view that regulators should favour gender quotas regarding the composition of the board management team of listed firms to reduce agency conflicts and gain shareholder confidence.

scholarly journals Gender and Social Networks on Bank Boards

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (020) ◽  
pp. 1-31
Author(s):  
Ann L. Owen ◽  
◽  
Judit Temesvary ◽  
Andrew Wei ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Gender Composition ◽  
Female Directors ◽  
The Social ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Board Gender Diversity

We examine the effect of the social networks of bank directors on board gender diversity and compensation using a unique, newly compiled dataset over the 1999-2018 period. We find that within-board social networks are extensive, but there are significant differences in the size and gender composition of social networks of male vs female bank directors. We also find that samegender networks play an important role in determining the gender composition of bank boards. Finally, we show that those connected to male directors receive higher compensation, but we find no evidence that connections to female directors are influential in determining pay and bonuses.

Female directors and agency costs: evidence from Chinese listed firms

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qurat Ul Ain ◽  
Xianghui Yuan ◽  
Hafiz Mustansar Javaid ◽  
Muhammad Usman ◽  
Muhammad Haris
Keyword(s):  
Agency Costs ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Critical Mass ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Female Directors ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Board Gender Diversity

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to examine whether board gender diversity reduces the agency costs of firms in the context of Chinese listed firms.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses a large sample of 23,340 firm-year observations of Chinese listed companies during 2004–2017. The authors use ordinary least squares regressions as the primary methodology with a wide range of methods to control for endogeneity and to check robustness, including the fixed-effect method, instrumental variable approach, lagged gender diversity measures, propensity score matching, Blau index, Shannon index and industry-adjusted measures of agency costs.FindingsThe evidence reveals that the participation of female directors in corporate board reduces agency costs, which correlates with conflicts of interest. Moreover, gender-diverse boards are more effective in state-owned enterprises (SOEs), in which agency issues are more severe. Female directors also provide better monitoring roles in more-developed areas. Finally, corporate boards that have a critical mass of female directors have a greater tendency to reduce agency costs as compared to their token participation. Overall, all findings support the validity of agency theory.Practical implicationsThis study shows the economic benefit of female directors in the boardroom by reducing agency costs and by improving firms' governance structure. Regarding the government, which is gradually introducing board gender diversity policies, this study provides valuable pragmatic information for Chinese regulators on this issue.Originality/valueThis study extends the literature by providing evidence that gender diversity in boardroom matters for shareholders' wealth maximization. It provides novel evidence that a critical mass of female directors is more effective in reducing agency costs compared to a single female on the board, and that the effect of gender diversity varies in relation to ownership structure and region.

scholarly journals The association between board gender diversity and financial reporting quality, corporate performance and corporate social responsibility disclosure

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 177-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Consuelo Pucheta-Martínez ◽  
Inmaculada Bel-Oms ◽  
Gustau Olcina-Sempere
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Csr Reporting ◽  
Female Directors ◽  
Csr Disclosure ◽  
Board Gender Diversity ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose Companies, politicians, the mass media, legislators, scholars and society in general have shown a growing interest in how board gender diversity affects a firm’s decisions. This concept has been developed because some nations have introduced voluntary policies to regulate and increase the proportion of female directors on corporate boards. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to review previous research based on board gender diversity as a corporate governance mechanism and its effect on some firms’ business decisions: financial reporting quality (FRQ), firm performance and corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting. Design/methodology/approach The authors focus on the agency and stakeholder theory to examine the link between female directors on boards and FRQ, CSR disclosure and firm performance. Findings This review provides researchers a structure that can identify the benefits and disadvantages of including female directors on boards regarding three particular corporate outcomes (FRQ, firm performance and CSR reporting). Originality/value This study provides a review of past literature on firm performance, CSR disclosure and FRQ from 1975 to 2017, and it contributes to past research by giving a broad overview of the main results of the association between female board directors and corporate decisions. The findings have implications for governments, academics and company managers.

scholarly journals Gender Diversity on the Board of Director and Firm Performance: Agency Theory Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lela Hindasah ◽  
Mugi Harsono
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Company Performance ◽  
Female Directors ◽  
Board Of Director ◽  
Governance Practices ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Board Gender Diversity

Research aims: This paper provides a literature review on the influence of board of directors' gender diversity on financial and non-financial performance.Design/Methodology/Approach: This research used the content analysis identified from previous studies based on the proxies employed. The article selection process was carried out from reputable international journals published in 2017-2020, resulting in 50 articles discussing board gender diversity and performance.Research findings: This study's results are a conceptual model and future research developments. Research related to female directors and performance has been much carried out. Hence, future research suggests correlating female directors based on monitoring characteristics, human capital board, and demographics. The influence of gender diversity on non-financial performance is also rarely studied.Theoretical contribution/Originality: Identification of gender diversity attributes associated with financial and non-financial performancePractitioner/Policy implication: This study provides valuable information for policymakers or regulators to refine future corporate governance policies and increase understanding of the relationship between corporate governance practices and company performance as measured by financial and non-financial performance.Research limitation/Implication: This study is based on only 50 articles in the last four years.

Board gender diversity and firms' internationalization speed: the role of female directors' characteristics

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ge Ren ◽  
Ping Zeng
Keyword(s):  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Schema Theory ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Economic Consequences ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Upper Echelons Theory ◽  
Female Directors ◽  
Internationalization Speed ◽  
Board Gender Diversity ◽  
The Impact

PurposeDrawing on the gender self-schema theory, upper echelons theory and the literature on international business, this study aims to examine the impact of board gender diversity on firms' internationalization speed.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, secondary data of 886 listed Chinese manufacturing firms from 2009 to 2018 are studied using the ordinary least squares regression model as the baseline method, an instrumental variable method is adopted for endogeneity control and both fixed and random effect models are adopted for the robustness test.FindingsBoard gender diversity reduces firms' internationalization speed, and the negative effect between board gender diversity and internationalization speed is stronger when the average age of female directors is older and weaker when female directors have international experience or financial background.Practical implicationsFirst, Chinese firms need to increase or decrease board gender diversity to match the board to firms' internationalization strategy. Increasing board gender diversity may be a more appropriate choice for firms that are expanding rapidly internationally, and vice versa. Second, when introducing female directors to international firms, it is essential to address other characteristics of these directors beyond their gender.Originality/valueFirst, the authors contribute to the literature on board gender diversity using Chinese manufacturing firms as our research sample, which provides new insights into the economic consequences of increasing the number of female directors. Second, this research contributes to the literature on firms' internationalization speed. Third, the authors capture in more detail the economic consequences of increasing board gender diversity in the context of China.

Board gender diversity and the timing of CEO stock option awards

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Moncef Guizani ◽  
Ahdi Noomen Ajmi
Keyword(s):  
Stock Price ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Chief Executive ◽  
Stock Option ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Instrumental Variable Analysis ◽  
Compensation Committee ◽  
Female Directors ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Board Gender Diversity

Purpose This study aims to explore the role of board gender diversity in mitigating chief executive officer (CEO) luck. CEOs are “lucky” when they receive stock option grants on days when the stock price is the lowest in the month of the grant, implying opportunistic timing. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a logistic regression analysis and an instrumental-variable analysis. The sample consists of 3,249 firm-year observations from 2010 through 2015. Findings The results show that female directors significantly deter the opportunistic timing of option grants. This study finds that gender diversity – as measured by the percentage of women on the board, the percentage of female independent directors and the percentage of female directors on the compensation committee are likely to reduce the odds that CEOs receive opportunistically timed lucky grants. The results are consistent with those in prior research that documents the benefits of board gender diversity. Practical implications The research findings are beneficial to policymakers and regulators, as it allows them to assess the importance of diversity on boards in the monitoring of the managers, particularly as it pertains to the design of CEO compensation packages. Furthermore, these findings have implications for Ibero-American countries as they shed light on the importance to undertake measures and reforms to promote board effectiveness by the introduction of gender diversity. Originality/value While prior research has examined the effect of board gender diversity on firm performance, the study is the first to investigate the effect of female directors on the opportunistic timing of option grants, using a rigorous empirical framework that explicitly accounts for endogeneity.

Evaluating Board Candidates: A Threat-Contingency Model of Shareholder Dissent Against Female Director Candidates

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arjun Mitra ◽  
Corinne Post ◽  
Steve Sauerwald
Keyword(s):  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Diversity Management ◽  
Institutional Pressures ◽  
Female Representation ◽  
Public Firms ◽  
Female Directors ◽  
Contingency Model ◽  
Women On Boards ◽  
Board Gender Diversity ◽  
Female Director

Given the growing corporate social responsibility (CSR) pressures to increase board gender diversity and the scrutiny afforded to firms that fail to appoint female directors, one may expect shareholders to vote with greater support for women (than for men) nominated to boards. However, diversity management research suggests that pressures to improve female representation in organizations and in leadership roles may also backfire. We propose a threat-contingency model of shareholder dissent against female director candidates to explain when shareholders will be more or less likely to dissent against female (relative to male) directors. Specifically, we advance CSR legitimacy threats and agency threats as conditions contextualizing shareholder dissent against female director candidates. Using a sample of 50,202 director elections at 1,104 public firms from 2003 to 2015, we find that female directors receive less dissent from shareholders; further, low female board representation intensifies this leniency as CSR legitimacy threats become more salient. However, when firm-related agency threats occur (e.g., firm underperformance and media controversies), shareholders’ leniency toward female director candidates dissipates, and when directors themselves present agency threats (e.g., director attendance problems and nonindependence), shareholders evaluate female directors more harshly than male directors. Underlining the relevance of our theory, our supplementary analyses show that shareholder dissent increases the probability of director turnover. These findings contribute to theory and research on women on boards, firm responses to institutional pressures, and shareholder dissent.

scholarly journals How Does Board Gender Diversity Influence the Likelihood of Becoming a UN Global Compact Signatory? The Mediating Effect of the CSR Committee

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 4329
Author(s):  
Jennifer Martínez-Ferrero ◽  
Mehmet Eryilmaz ◽  
Nese Colakoglu
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Responsibility ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
United Nations Global Compact ◽  
Global Compact ◽  
Un Global Compact ◽  
Female Directors ◽  
Board Gender Diversity ◽  
Corporate Social

The aim of this study was to improve the understanding of the factors determining a firm’s affiliation with the United Nations Global Compact (UN GC) as the largest voluntary corporate responsibility initiative worldwide. Drawing on the board perspective of the firm, this paper examines the effect of gender diversity and the mediating effect of the existence of a corporate social responsibility (CSR) committee. To test the paper’s objectives, the authors use an international sample of analysis of 29,951 firm-year observations from 2012 to 2018. The results suggest that female directors on the board significantly encourage the firm’s affiliation with the UN GC and support the mediating effect of the existence of a CSR committee. Therefore, the positive impact of female directors on UN GC signatories appears to be mediated by the existence of a CSR committee.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document